The bread is big and puffy, crusty, and faintly tangy. The dough is baked in a lidded Dutch oven so it should spring up a lot and be light and airy. For added appeal, the top of the loaf can be sprinkled with coarse salt.
"Buttermilk breads have been popular with American home bakers for decades, not only because these loaves are tasty and fuss-free, but also because in the past they used up leftover buttermilk. when families still churned their own butter, buttermilk was the butter-flecked liquid remaining after the fat separated out from the cream and formed butter." Nancy Baggett
Easy Buttermilk Pot Bread with Coarse Salt
Makes: 1 large loaf, 12 to 14 wedges or slices
The recipe for this bread is from Kneadlessly Simple by Nancy Baggett.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups (20 ounces) unbleached white bread flour or unbleached all-purpose white flour, plus 1/2 cup (2.5 ounces), plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Scant 1 3/4 tablespoons table salt (increase to 2 teaspoons if coarse salt garnish is omitted)
- 3/4 teaspoon instant, fast-rising, or bread machine yeast
- Corn oil, canola oil, or other flavorless vegetable oil for coating dough
- 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed
- 1/3 cup dried buttermilk powder
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 3/4 teaspoon coarse crystal salt for garnish, optional
Directions:
First Rise: (Sunday, May 3, 2009)
In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together 4 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt, and yeast. Thoroughly stir the water into the bowl, scraping down the sides until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. I'm using ice buttermilk rather than ice water and buttermilk powder.
If the mixture is too dry to incorporate all the flour, a bit at a time, stir in just enough more ice water to blend the ingredients; don't over moisten, as the dough should be slightly stiff. If is is very soft, stir in enough flour to firm it slightly. Brush or spray the top with oil.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. If desired, for best flavor or for convenience, you can refrigerate the dough for 3 to 10 hours. Then let rise at cool room temperature for 12 to 18 hours. I placed the dough in a different bowl and put it in the refrigerator overnight.
Second Rise: (Monday, May 4, 2009)
We'll move on to the second rise later today. The dough is sitting on the counter resting right now.
Okay, it's been 12 hours so it's time to finish this baby. It's definitely doubled in size.
For the second rise, vigorously stir the buttermilk powder and butter into the dough until evenly and thoroughly incorporated. I didn't use buttermilk powder so I'm just stirring the butter into the dough. You can use a dough hook and a heavy-duty mixer on low speed if you prefer, but I didn't want to mess up another bowl.
Then, thoroughly incorporate the remaining 1/2 cup flour, plus enough more to make the dough very stiff.
Scrape down the bowl sides thoroughly. Using a oiled rubber spatula, lift and fold the dough towards the center all the way around. Evenly brush or spray the dough top with oil. Cover the bowl with nonstick spray -- coated plastic wrap.
Let Rise Using Any of These Methods: For a 1 1/2 - to 2 1/2-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; for a 1- to 2-hour accelerated rise, let stand in a turned-off microwave along with 1 cup of boiling-hot water; or for an extended rise, refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours, then set out at room temperature. Continue the rise until the dough doubles from its original size, removing the plastic if the dough nears it.
I let the dough rise using the regular rise. It took about 2 hours.
Baking Preliminaries: 20 minutes before baking time, put a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 450 degrees. Heat a 4-quart Dutch oven or similar heavy metal pot in the oven until sizzling hot (check with a few drops or water), then remove it, using heavy mitts.
Taking care not to to deflate the dough, loosen it from the bowl sides with an oiled rubber spatula
and gently invert it into the pot. Don't worry if it's lopsided and ragged-looking; it will even out during baking.
Lightly spritz or brush the dough top with water.
Then evenly sprinkle over the coarse salt. Slash a large, 1/4-inch-deep x in the dough top with well-oiled kitchen shears.
Immediately top the pot with the lid. Shake the pot back and forth to center the dough.
Baking: Lower the heat to 425 degrees. Bake on the lower rack for 50 to 55 minutes or until puffed and firm on top. If the load is nicely browned, continue baking with the lid on; if the loaf looks pale, remove the lid. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until the top is well browned and crusty and a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just a few crumbs on the tip (or until center registers 205 to 207 degrees on an instant-read thermometer). Then, bake for 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove the loaf to the rack. Cool thoroughly.
Serving: Cut the loaf into wedges or crosswise slices; it tastes good warm, but will cut much better when cool. Cool completed before storing. My son has been eying the bread on the cooling rack all evening. It's time to slice it.
Storing: To maintain the crisp crust, store draped with a clean tea towel or in a heavy paper bag. Or store airtight in a plastic bag or wrapped in foil: The crust will soften, but can be crisped by heating the loaf, uncovered, in a 400 degrees oven for a few minutes. The bread will keep at room temperature for 3 days, and may be frozen, airtight, for up to 2 months.
Thanks for visiting The Bread Experience Bread-Baking Blog.
Happy Baking!
Cathy
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