My contribution to the Food Bloggers' Bake Sale: Buttermilk Honey Bread

Today I went to the San Francisco Food Bloggers' Bake Sale. It was an amazing experience and it was wonderful to see so many people there to help and support a good cause. There were also A LOT of wonderful goodies...it was hard to choose which one to buy myself :)

A bit thank you to Anita for organizing it!

This bread was my contribution to the bake sale: a wonderful buttermilk honey bread that I made for the first time a couple of months ago and is already a favourite in my home. For me, this is thus far he best bread I've ever made and one of the best I've ever eaten. It's perfectly crunchy on the outside and creamy and soft on the outside. I really have to say: thank you Mr. Buttermilk! I really discovered the power of buttermilk in baking with this bread's recipe. Before I tried this bread, deep inside me I always thought that it could have been possible to substitute for the buttermilk without really affecting the final result. Now I cleared any doubt about its role, at least in bread/scones/biscuits making. 

The other reason why I love this bread is that the day after it is still as amazing as the minute it comes out of the oven. Again thanks to Mr. Buttermilk but also the honey. I really love using honey in breads. They keep them soft and they give that spark of sweetness that makes the bread just perfect for every meal, from breakfast to dinner. I hope that whoever bought my bread was as happy as I am when I get to eat it :)

p.s. these pictures are not of the loaf I actually brought to the bake sale because I did not have time to take a picture of it. They are pictures of the one I made last week

Buttermilk Honey Bread

Ingredients:

3 oz warm water (105-115 degrees F)

1/2 tbsp instant yeast

1 tsp sugar

6 oz buttermilk, warmed to take off the chill (or brought to room temperature)

1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

2 tbsp honey, warmed until runny

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2-3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. milk to brush the bread

In a big bowl combine the water, yeast, sugar, buttermilk, butter, honey, salt, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix with a fork until a dough has formed and then continue with your hands (I don't like making this bread with any food processor or electric mixer). Continue mixing the remaining flour until a smooth dough is formed that clears the sides of the bowl. Continue kneading until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 60-75 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently punch it down. Grease one loaf pan (if using) and shape as desired. (I like making it into a loose braided wreath) .Cover the loaves lightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise until fully doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Twenty minutes before you want to bake the bread, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Center a rack in the oven. Just before putting the loaf in the oven, brush the top with the milk. Place the pan on the center rack and bake about 40-45 minutes, rotating 180 degrees halfway through the baking time. Remove the loaf immediately to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before slicing.

Enjoy!

Source: adapted from Annie's Eats