Buttermilk American Loaf Breadcooks Illustrated Recipes

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Once the oven temperature reaches 200 degrees, maintain the heat for 10 minutes, then turn off the oven.
• Mix 3 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix the milk, water, butter, honey, and yeast in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Turn the machine to low and slowly add the liquid. When the dough comes together, increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth and satiny, stopping the machine two or three times to scrape dough from the hook, if necessary, about 10 minute (After 5 minutes of kneading, if the dough is still sticking to the sides of the bowl, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time and up to 1/4 cup total, until the dough is no longer sticky.) Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface; knead to form a smooth, round ball, about 15 seconds.
• Place dough in very lightly oiled large bowl, rubbing the dough around the bowl to coat lightly. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and place it in the warmed oven until the dough doubles in size, 50 to 60 minutes.
• Gently press the dough into a rectangle 1 inch thick and no longer than 9 inches. With a long side facing you, roll the dough firmly into a cylinder, pressing with your fingers to make sure the dough sticks to itself. Turn the dough seam-side up and pinch it closed. Place the dough seam-side down in a greased 9 by 5-inch loaf pan and press it gently so it touches all four sides of the pan. Cover with damp cloth; set aside in warm spot until the dough almost doubles in size 20-30 minute.
• Keep one oven rack at the lowest position and place the other at the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place an empty baking pan on the bottom rack. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour boiling water into the empty pan on the bottom rack and set the loaf onto the middle rack. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted at an angle from the short end just above the pan rim into the center of the loaf reads 195 degrees, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove bread from the pan, transfer to wire rack, and cool to room temperature. Slice and serve.

Steps:

• Mix milk, water, butter, honey and yeast together.
• Combine 3 1/2 cups flour and salt in bowl of stand mixer.
• Gradually add milk mixture to flour.
• Increase mixer speed to medium, mix for 10 minutes, until dough is smooth. (You may need to add extra flour to get dough to the right consistency. I always do.).
• Turn dough out onto floured surface, knead briefly to form a small, round ball.
• Place dough in a greased bowl, turn to coat.
• To Proof: Original recipe suggests while you are making the dough, heat an oven to 200 for 10 minutes, then turning off. Place bowl covered with plastic wrap in oven to proof. However, I cover with a towel and use my warming burner. Let rise 40 - 50 minutes, or until doubled in size.
• Turn onto floured work surface, gently roll dough into a 1 x 9 inch rectangle. Roll the short side into a tight cylinder. Pinch the seams closed. Place the seam-side down in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan.
• Cover with plastic wrap or towel; set in a warm spot until the dough almost doubles in size, 20-30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350. Placing a glass dish with boiling water inside.
• Bake 40 -50 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 195°.
• Brush with melted butter, cool on wire rack.
• To freeze: Cool completely, cover with plastic wrap or foil. Place in freezer bag. Thaw on counter overnight.

Steps:

• 1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray, then sprinkle 1/2 cup of the Parmesan evenly over the bottom of the pan.
• 2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper to combine. Using a rubber spatula, mix in the cheddar, breaking up clumps. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, egg, and sour cream. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined (the batter will be heavy and thick). Do not over-mix. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan; level the surface with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan evenly over the surface.
• 3. Bake until deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf conies out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack 5 minutes; invert the loaf onto the rack, turn right-side up, and continue to cool until warm, about 45 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.
• VARIATION: QUICK CHEESE BREAD WITH BACON, ONION, AND GRUYERE; Cut 5 ounces (5 slices) bacon into 1/2-inch pieces and fry in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and pour off all but 3 tablespoons fat from the skillet. Add 1/2 cup minced onion to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes; set skillet with onion aside.
• Follow recipe for Quick Cheese Bread, substituting Gruyere for cheddar, adding the bacon and onion to the flour mixture along with the cheese, and omitting the butter.

Steps:

• CAKE: Set a rack to the middle of your oven and preheat to 350-degrees. Grease an 18"x 13" rimmed baking sheet, line it with parchment paper, and then grease the parchment paper too.
• Shred four carrots on the large holes of a box grater or using the shedding disk and your food processor.
• In a medium bowl, add together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves. Whisk together until combined.
• In another large bowl add sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Use a whisk to combine until smooth. Gently stir in carrots and currants with a rubber spatula until evenly distributed. Finally, add in flour mixture and fold in with your rubber spatula, but only until it is just combined.
• Empty batter onto baking sheet. Use an offset spatula to smooth surface and ensure the batter is an even depth. Bake for about 15 minutes, rotating half-way through baking, until the center is firm when touched.
• Allow cake to cool for 5 minutes in pan set on a wire rack. Flip the cake onto a wire rack then immediately re-flip back onto a second wire rack. The cake should be resting with the parchment side down. Allow the cake to cool for another 30 minutes.
• FROSTING: While the cake is cooking, toast your pecans and chop them coarsely. Cut your cream cheese into 12 equal-size pieces, but keep it refrigerated until you are ready to use in step 3.
• Add the butter, sugar, buttermilk powder, vanilla extract and salt to the bowl of a standing mixer. Mix using the paddle attachment on low-speed for 2 minutes; scrape down the bowl as necessary.
• Increase mixer speed to medium-low, then add cream cheese one piece at a time. Mix for 2 minutes until the frosting is smooth.
• ASSEMBLY: Put cooled cake on a cutting board and cut into equal halves cross-wise. Cut length-wise so that you have 4 equal pieces, measuring about 6″x8″ each.
• Cut out a 6″x8″ rectangle out of stiff cardboard. Put the first of the cake piece on the cardboard. Use a spatula to spread 2/3-cup of frosting over layer. Repeat with two more layers.
• Place the final cake layer on top. Remove any crumbs from your spatula and frost the top with a 1-cup of frosting.
• Frost the sides of the cake with your remaining frosting. You just need enough frosting to hold the chopped pecans, not completely hide all the crumbs.
• Holding the cake with one hand, use your other hand to gently press the chopped pecans onto the side of your cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Steps:

• Heat water to 120 degrees. I use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. Do not guess at the temperature of your water. Too hot or too cold makes a difference.
• Add sugar to water and stir until dissolved. (Note: If you do not dissolve the sugar, you will not get the same result.).
• Add 2 packages of RAPID RISE yeast to the water. (Note: regular yeast will not give you the same result.).
• Let mixture sit for 10 minutes. That seems to be the best amount of time. Anything more than 20 minutes seems to have a negative effect on the results. If you skip this step you won't get the fluffiness you're looking for. This should be in ADDITION to your bread machine rise.
• Spray bread machine pan with non-stick spray.
• Pour yeast mixture into pan. (My bread machine directions say always pour dry ingredients in first, but this works for me).
• Add oil. (I've tried this recipe with 4T of oil and no butter and 4T of butter and no oil, but did not get the same result.).
• Add melted butter. Salted or unsalted butter doesn't seem to make a difference. If I use unsalted butter, I up the salt to 1 1/2 teaspoons.
• Add flour.
• Add beaten egg.
• Add salt.
• Select medium crust, white bread and 2-pound loaf cycle.
• Remove the bread from the bread pan after the cycle has finished and place on a rack so the bottom doesn't get soggy. Try to resist taking that first slice while it's still warm. Sometimes I do -- sometimes I don't. :-) Lasts about 2 weeks in a refrigerator. Lasts about 3 days if kept out.
• You can take this basic recipe and add whatever spices you enjoy. I've used garlic, oregano, basil, etc. I haven't tried cheese yet, but if someone out there does would love to know how it turns out!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl cream together the sugar and the butter; add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
• Beat in mashed bananas and vanilla and continue beating until mixture is smooth.
• In a large measuring cup stir baking soda into the buttermilk and add it to the banana mixture along with the flour and chopped nuts.
• Stir the batter until it is just combined.
• Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x5 inch loaf pan and bake for one hour or until tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Transfer the bread to a rack and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
• Turn it out onto a rack and let it cool completely.