I have been making homemade bread and butter for some time now, and I've got to say, the recipe truly gets better the longer you do it. When I started, my loaves were shaped funky or were too salty or even too moist inside. I have perfected my recipe, for both bread and butter, and I want to share it with you blondies! You won't be able to stop when you start!
The recipe for my loaves can also be found on my TikTok, @thefakeblondediaries, if a video is more helpful.
Ingredients, are so simple you only need 4
3 1/2 cups plain flour
I buy an unbleached bag at Trader Joes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry instant yeast
I purchase the Red Star Active Dry Yeast
2 cups of warm to hot (but not too hot) water
Directions
Start by putting your flour, salt, and dry yeast into a large bowl and whisking those together.
Get your first cup of warm to hot (but not too hot) water ready. Pour the full cup into the bowl and mix with a flat spatula.
Get your second cup of warm to hot (but not too hot) water ready and pour half of the second cup into the bowl and mix. Here you are going to decide if you need the rest of the second cup. Is your mixture super sticky? You don't need the rest. Is your mixture looking dry? Add the rest. It depends on the day but sometimes I need 1 1/2 cups water and sometimes I need a little bit more than even 2 cups!
Leave this mixture in the bowl and put plastic cling wrap over the bowl, & two tea towels over the top to keep warm! Your bread won't rise correctly if it's cold.
I let my bread rise anywhere between 3-7 hours. If I decide to rise for only 3 hours, I will turn my dryer (washer and dryer situation) on high heat for 10 minutes and then stop it. I will then place my covered bowl into the dryer (not starting it obviously) just so that it gets some more warmth. I know it sounds weird but it works!
Depending on how long you let rise, after you have made your decision, put a large flat pan in your oven on the top rack. On the bottom rack, fill up an over-safe dish with water.
Preheat oven to 430 degrees F.
On your counter put down parchment paper and cover with flour.
Scoop the bread out of the bowl onto the flour and shape how you would like! I tend to make two loaves, so divide the bread into two even sections and either make it long or round like a bread bowl!
After shaped you can make an incision in the bread, not too deep, to give it some character! I usually just take a knife to poke down a little bit and carry a curved line from one side to the next!
Throw the bread (with the parchment paper) into the oven once preheated onto that hot pan that is already in there.
Bake the bread for 35 minutes with the water in the bottom of the oven.
For the last 5 minutes bake with no water.
Leave on the counter to cool and then cover.
Now it is time for the butter! This is SO simple!
Ingredients
heavy whipping cream
flaky salt (optional)
Directions
In your large mixer pour heavy cream.
Tie a tea towel through so that splashing does not occur.
Mix until white liquid (buttermilk) forms and solid clumps form.
Those solid clumps are your butter, take them out of the bowl and have a large ice bowl ready to clean the butter. This helps it stay good for longer! You clean the butter in ice water so that the butter does not melt through your fingers.
You are more than welcome to save the buttermilk that formed while making your butter, I never do though.
Throw butter onto plastic wrap and shape to your liking.
I love salty butter so I always top mine off with flaky sea salt!
Enjoy your bread and butter together!
Comments