White Buttermilk Bread

Derived from White Bread variations in The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart

Ingredients

• 4¾ cups Unbleached bread flour

• 1½ tsp salt

• ¼ cup Powdered non-fat milk

• 3¼ tbs White sugar

• 2 tsp Instant yeast

• 1½ cups Warm water

• 1-cup pkg Saco™ powdered buttermilk

• 1 large Egg, lightly beaten, at room temperature

• 3¼ tbs Unsalted butter, at room temperature

Preparation

Mix flour, salt, powdered milk, sugar, and yeast in a 4 qt. bowl.

Dissolve powdered buttermilk into the warm water.

Add buttermilk solution, egg, and butter into the dry ingredients and mix until all the flour is adsorbed. If the dough seems stiff, trickle in additional warm water until the dough is soft and supple.

On a lightly floured surface, knead for 6-8 minutes, adding a bit of flour if necessary, to create a dough that is soft, supple, and tacky but not sticky.

Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Let rise 1½-2 hours, depending on your room temperature, until the dough doubles in size. (This is a bit longer than some other doughs, owing to the amount of yeast. A longer rise helps build flavor.)

Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it in two. Gently shape the pieces into boules. Mist the dough with spray oil and let sit, covered in plastic wrap, for 20 minutes.

Lightly oil two 8½x4½-inch loaf pans. Shape the dough into loaves and place in the pans. Mist the dough top with spray oil, cover the pans with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1-1½ hours until nearly doubled with the top of the dough about an inch over the sides of the pans.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Optionally, you can score the loaves down the center and run a little vegetable oil into the slit.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, rotating the loaves 180 degrees halfway though for even baking, if necessary. The tops should be golden brown and the sides, when removed from the pans, should be golden. The loaves should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.

When the loaves have finished baking, remove immediately from the pans and cool on a wire rack at least 1 hour before slicing or serving.

•	4¾ cups	Unbleached bread flour
•	1½ tsp	salt
•	¼ cup	Powdered non-fat milk
•	3¼ tbs	White sugar
•	2 tsp	Instant yeast
•	1½ cups	Warm water
•	1-cup pkg	Saco™ powdered buttermilk
•	1 large	Egg, lightly beaten, at room temperature
•	3¼ tbs	Unsalted butter, at room temperature

	Mix flour, salt, powdered milk, sugar, and yeast in a 4 qt. bowl.
	Dissolve powdered buttermilk into the warm water.
	Add buttermilk solution, egg, and butter into the dry ingredients and mix until all the flour is adsorbed. If the dough seems stiff, trickle in additional warm water until the dough is soft and supple.
	On a lightly floured surface, knead for 6-8 minutes, adding a bit of flour if necessary, to create a dough that is soft, supple, and tacky but not sticky.
	Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
	Let rise 1½-2 hours, depending on your room temperature, until the dough doubles in size. (This is a bit longer than some other doughs, owing to the amount of yeast. A longer rise helps build flavor.)
	Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it in two. Gently shape the pieces into boules. Mist the dough with spray oil and let sit, covered in plastic wrap, for 20 minutes.
	Lightly oil two 8½x4½-inch loaf pans. Shape the dough into loaves and place in the pans. Mist the dough top with spray oil, cover the pans with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1-1½ hours until nearly doubled with the top of the dough about an inch over the sides of the pans.
	Preheat the oven to 350°F. Optionally, you can score the loaves down the center and run a little vegetable oil into the slit.
	Bake for 35-45 minutes, rotating the loaves 180 degrees halfway though for even baking, if necessary. The tops should be golden brown and the sides, when removed from the pans, should be golden. The loaves should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.
	When the loaves have finished baking, remove immediately from the pans and cool on a wire rack at least 1 hour before slicing or serving.