Num Num Files: Buttermilk Orange Bread

Like most every other bread, this recipe is all about the prep time with very little chef-involvement-time. It takes about two hours or so in all the rising and punching and such, but only about forty minutes of you having to do something with it.  Unless of course you’re sitting there watching the bread rise in which case I would suggest you get a life (affectionately, of course).

Ingredients:

¼ cup warmish hotish water. Like not boiling or anything but you want some steam.

2 - ¼ tsp (1 Package) dry active yeast

1 cup buttermilk at room temperature

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp butter at room temperature

The grated rind of 1 medium orange

3 – ½ cups flour – I used ‘Better for bread’ flour but you can use whatevvvv

DIRECTIONS:

1.     In a large bowl mix the water and yeast together thoroughly.  Add into the bowl the buttermilk, the honey, the salt, the butter, and the orange and stir together (thoroughly).  Add 2 and ½ cups of the flour and mix thoroughly.  Use the remaining flour to add slowly until a dough is formed that will follow the spoon around the bowl.  Place the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about ten minutes adding bits of flour as needed, just don’t get crazy.  Knead until the dough is smooth to the touch and firm.  Grease a mixing bowl and place the dough inside.  Flip the dough over so that both sides are lightly coated with the grease.  Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm place for about one hour.

2.     Now comes the best part about making bread: PUNCH DOWN THE DOUGH.  Punching down dough is an EXTREMELY satisfying activity.  It makes this cute little noise and everything!!! Then, place the dough back on a lightly floured surface and knead until all bubbles are smushed out.  Shape the dough into a loaf and place in a greased bread pan or whatever you’re baking it in.  Cover dough again with a cloth and let rise until it has doubled in size, roughly 45 minutes to an hour. 

3.     Put the bread in the oven at 350*F for 40 minutes.  The top of the bread should be a golden brown and sound hollow when tapped/flicked.  Remove and let cool on a rack.  Be a hero to everyone who tries this bread.

Particularly tasty with a doctored butter.  Say perhaps a cinnamon sugar butter or maybe a honey butter?