Buttermilk Honey Bread
This Buttermilk Honey Bread has a soft, fluffy, and rich interior with a chewy crust, and it is easy to bake at home! You can enjoy the freshly made bread in various ways, from a slice with butter to delicious sandwiches.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (80ml) warm water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
- ¾ cup (180ml) buttermilk (room temperature)
- 2 tablespoon (40g) honey
- 1 tablespoon (14g) melted butter
- 3 to 3½ cups (360 to 420g) bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon milk to brush the top of the dough (optional)
- 1 teaspoon melted butter to brush the top of the bread (optional)
Instructions
Making The Dough
- Stir the warm water, yeast, and sugar in a small bowl or measuring cup. Let stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- In a stand mixer bowl, combine buttermilk, honey, butter, and yeast mixture with a whisk or wooden spoon. It is essential to use buttermilk at room temperature. If you forget to remove the buttermilk from the fridge and it is cold, microwave it for 20-25 seconds.
- Add 2 cups flour and salt, and use a dough hook to mix everything well.
- Add the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, until a dough is formed. Then, continue mixing for 3-4 minutes or until the dough is smooth and springy.
Proofing the Dough
- Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a ball. Spray the bowl with cooking oil, then set the dough back in the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel.
- Allow the dough to rest in a warm spot for an hour until almost doubled in size.
Shaping and Proofing The Dough
- Gently deflate the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into a 9x9-inch square, roll it into a log, fold under each side, and press the seams together.
- Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking oil spray and place the dough seam side down in the pan. Cover the loaf pan with a towel or plastic wrap and allow the dough to proof until fully doubled in bulk, 45 minutes to an hour.
Baking the Buttermilk Honey Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Brush the top with milk if desired.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped with your finger.
- Remove the loaf from the oven and brush the top with melted butter. Immediately remove the bread from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack. Let the bread cool completely before slicing.
Storing Suggestions
- Store the Buttermilk Honey Bread, tightly covered, at room temperature for four days.
Notes
- Measuring: Measure all the ingredients beforehand, and use a kitchen scale if you have one for the best results.
- Flour: Many factors can impact how much flour you need for the yeasted dough, so you may need more or less than what is mentioned in the recipe. It is best to judge when to stop adding flour by looking at and feeling the dough. The goal should be a soft, supple, and well-hydrated dough that is slightly tacky to the touch but does not leave much residue on your finger.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk makes the bread soft, rich, and flavorful. It should be at room temperature, but if you forget to remove it from the fridge, microwave it for a few seconds until it is slightly warm. You can use store-bought buttermilk or make a substitute at home. To make a buttermilk substitute, add ¾ tablespoon of white vinegar to ¾ cup of milk, stir, and let it stand for five minutes.
- Honey: If you do not want to use honey, you can replace it with your choice of sweetener or sugar.
- Yeast Proofing: The first step is mixing water, sugar, and yeast and allowing it to rest for 5-10 minutes. This mixture should be frothy and bubbly. If this does not happen to your mixture, the yeast is inactive, or the water is hot or cold.
- Salt: Always add salt with flour; otherwise, it may inactivate the yeast.
- The Top is Browning Too Much: If the top of your bread loaf browns too quickly while baking, cover it loosely with aluminum foil and continue baking until done.
Nutrition (Approximate Values)
Calories : 140kcalCarbohydrates : 26gProtein : 4gFat : 2gSaturated Fat : 1gPolyunsaturated Fat : 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat : 0.5gTrans Fat : 0.04gCholesterol : 4mgSodium : 219mgPotassium : 58mgFiber : 1gSugar : 4gVitamin A : 57IUVitamin C : 0.02mgCalcium : 23mgIron : 0.3mg
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