Honey Buttermilk Bread: A Sweet and Soft Delight for Your Table!
When you think of warm, freshly baked bread filling your home with delightful aromas, Honey Buttermilk Bread takes the cake—or, rather, the loaf! This bread is incredibly soft, fluffy, and slightly sweetened with honey, making it the perfect treat for breakfast or a cozy evening snack.
Ingredients
- 1 envelope yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 cup warm water
- Pinch of ginger helps activate the yeast
- 2 cups warm buttermilk
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup butter melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 cups white bread flour
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: Combine the ginger, sugar, yeast, and warm water in a small bowl. Set aside for about five minutes until frothy.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the buttermilk, honey, salt, and baking soda together with the yeast mixture.
- Incorporate Flour: Gradually add three cups of flour, mixing until smooth. If you have an electric mixer, use low speed for about 5 minutes.
- Add Butter: Mix in the melted butter until fully incorporated into the batter.
- Add Remaining Flour: Slowly add the remaining flour, one cup at a time, keeping the mixer on low speed until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Knead: Remove the dough onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is elastic and smooth.
- First Rise: Place in a greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1.5 hours.
- Shape Loaves: Punch down the dough and form it into two loaves, placing them in greased loaf pans. Grease the tops and cover, allowing to rise for another 45 minutes.
- Preheat Oven: While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Bake: Bake for 30 minutes, covering with foil if they brown too quickly. Once baked, brush with melted butter.
- Cool: Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack.