Buttermilk Bread

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup (160ml) buttermilk
• 1/3 cup (80ml) warm water
• 2 cups (300g) bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp instant dried yeast
• 20g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra to grease

Method

1. Combine the buttermilk and the warm water in a bowl. Place the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a bench mixer. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed to combine.
2. Slowly add the buttermilk mixture and knead on medium speed for 7 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
3. Add the butter and continue kneading until the butter is worked into the dough.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough proof in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
5. Grease a 23cm x 13cm loaf pan with butter and coat with flour, shaking out the excess flour.
6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Shape the dough into an 20cm log and place into the pan. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let the dough proof in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour or until it rises to just above the pan.
7. Place the wire rack in position 3.
8. Set the oven to BAKE > 180°C > CONVECTION > 40 MINUTES to preheat.
9. Carefully remove the plastic wrap. Place the extra flour in a sieve and lightly dust the loaf with flour.
10. Once preheated, place the loaf in the oven and cook until golden brown.
11. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack.