Honey Country Buttermilk {Sandwich} Bread

I wanted to try a new bread. Something more akin to what I used to buy at the store (Orowheat's Country Buttermilk Bread) this recipe does the trick.  You get a nice soft bread that is perfect for sandwiches and toast. This bread has just a hint of honey taste and buttermilk, I did have to cover my loaves with foil in the oven (just the tops) as they were browning pretty fast *about halfway through bake time. I also buttered the tops of my loaves with melted butter and placed the foil back over the tops so that while cooling, the top crust will remain soft (worked like a charm) My advice is keep an eye on this bread when baking...it will brown fast and cook faster then expected (I ended up using my digital thermometer to ensure 'doneness' and cut my bake time by 5 mins as the bread was just starting to look almost 'over-cooked'...  ~Enjoy! Diane  

Honey Country Buttermilk Bread
*makes two loaves

Ingredients:
1 Tbs Active-Dry Yeast  
1  tsp sugar
a pinch of ground fresh ginger, optional
1/4 cup warm water, temp your yeast calls for 

2 cups buttermilk, warmed
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled so that it is warm, but not hot.

6 cups white bread flour

Directions:
Mix the yeast, sugar and water (set aside for five minutes.)

Mix the warmed buttermilk, honey, salt, and baking soda and add with the yeast mixture into a stand mixer bowl with dough hook attachment. 

Add three cups of flour and mix until smooth. (approx. 3 minutes on low speed.)

Mix in cooled melted butter until it is totally incorporated into dough.

Add in the rest of the flour, one cup at a time, keeping mixer on low speed or "1".
When dough pulls from the sides of the bowl, raise speed to kneading speed or "2" and let mixer knead dough for approx 5-7 minutes until dough is elastic and smooth.

Place in lightly greased bowl, turn to grease the top, cover and allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down and form into two loaves. Place in greased loaf pans and grease tops.
Cover, and allow to rise for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400F. Bake for 30 minutes, covering tops with foil if they brown too fast.

Remove loaves from oven and brush with melted butter.
Allow to cool in pans for 8 minutes.
Turn out and cool completely on a rack. Cover the loaf tops with foil if you want soft top crust
.
Adapted from: Bread Boot Camp/restless chipotle 
Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home