Buttermilk Sandwich Bread

It seems we go through bread pretty quickly around here...and we're a family of three! Not being able to run to the store at a moment's notice, bread baking is my new thing. I've always loved freshly baked bread (it's my love language) and have wanted more time to devote to baking it. Guess what? I have it now.

Hopefully, you have some buttermilk in your fridge or your freezer. (Did you know it can be frozen?) If not, do grab a few bottles on your next grocery run.

This buttermilk bread is pretty much the perfect sandwich bread. It's has a tight but tender crumb which stands up to slicing and spreading and slathering. It's flavor is mild. I remember Jack went through a stage as a kid when he didn't like sourdough bread, deeming it "too tangy." If you have a kiddo like that, this is the bread for you.

It is a wonderful blank canvas for butter, jelly, or sandwiches of any kind.

The dough comes together super quickly...all in the mixer. The rise time is only 25 minutes!

You start by heating buttermilk with butter until the butter is melted.

Meanwhile, you'll combine the dry ingredients. Pour the warmed butter/buttermilk into the bowl and mix.

Then, an egg gets added in.

You'll beat the dough - no dough hook or kneading required - for 5 minutes.

Scrape it into a loaf pan. I had to use my fingers to stretch it out to evenly fill the pan...it's sticky. Pour melted butter over the top.

Let it rise, only for about 25 minutes, then bake.

Ahhh...so pretty! One side of my bread looked like this.

...the other like this. A little lopsided. Doesn't matter, but you could rotate the pan to bake more evenly if you like.

Let it cool before slicing.

[A note on using what you have: I used bread and all-purpose flour here. You can use a mix or use one of the other. Sugar can be granulated, brown, or honey. Butter can be salted or unsalted.]

Buttermilk Sandwich Bread

1 1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
2 cups bread flour
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 egg
1 tablespoon salted butter, melted

Heat the buttermilk and butter over medium-low heat until the butter melts.

Meanwhile, place the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a bowl of an electric mixer. Stir together. Once the butter has melted, pour the buttermilk mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until combined using the paddle attachment. Add the egg. Mix, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, for one minute.

Increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes.

Grease a 9 x 5" loaf pan with butter. Scrape the dough into the pan (it will be sticky) using your fingers to press in evenly. Drizzle the melted butter over the top. Cover with a greased piece of plastic wrap and let rise for 25 minutes or until it has risen about 1" over the sides of the pan.

Preheat oven to 375.

Place bread on center rack and bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

{*adapted from Elinor Klivans}

Who else is on a bread baking spree?

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