Jim's Buttermilk Bread
Submitted by KidsMom
Jim’s buttermilk bread: a sponge-method white loaf with buttermilk tang, honey, and olive oil. Soft tender crumb, two loaves from one recipe, the kind of bread that makes toast worth waking up for.
YIELD
2 loavesPREP
75 minCOOK
40 minREADY
120 minThis is a proper sponge-method buttermilk bread, built on a quick pre-ferment that wakes up the yeast with honey and a splash of buttermilk before the rest of the dough comes together. That 15 to 20 minute sponge stage is what gives the finished bread its depth of flavor, cutting corners here makes a flatter, blander loaf.
The sponge should look puffed and bubbling on top before you proceed. If it doesn’t, your yeast is probably dead.
Buttermilk does double duty in this recipe. Its acidity keeps the crumb tender and adds a subtle tang that plays nicely against honey’s sweetness. Use room-temperature buttermilk, cold buttermilk will slow or kill the yeast activity in the sponge.
The rise times here are unusually fast (15 minutes each instead of the typical 60+), which suggests this recipe expects a very warm kitchen or an active yeast. Watch the dough, not the clock. It should visibly double before you move on.
The two-stage bake (425°F / 220°C for 10 minutes, then 350°F / 175°C for 30) sets a good crust initially, then slows down so the interior cooks evenly without the exterior burning.
Kitchen Tips
- Use warm (not hot) water for the yeast, around 110°F (43°C), which is warm to the touch but not painful
- Knead until the dough passes the windowpane test, stretch a small piece between your fingers, if you can see light through it without tearing, it’s ready
- Tap-test the bottom of each baked loaf, hollow sound means the interior is done
- Cool completely on a rack before slicing, warm bread tears instead of cutting
Variations
- Swap 2 cups of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour for a heartier, nuttier loaf
- Add 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary or thyme to the flour for an herbed version
- Brush the tops with an egg wash and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds before baking
Ingredients
Directions
Make a sponge by dissolving the yeast in the warm water in a large bowl.
Mix in the honey.
Add 1 cup of buttermilk.
Stir in 3 cups of the flour, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and leave it in a warm place for 15 to 20 minutes until it swells and bubbles on the top.
Meanwhile dissolve the salt and add the olive oil, in the remaining buttermilk.
When the sponge is ready add this to it along with all but ½ cup of the remaining flour.
Mix well until it becomes hard to stir, then turn out on a floured working surface and knead, adding more flour as necessary until the dough is smooth and resilient - about 8 to 10 minutes.
Clean out the bowl, oil or butter it, and return the dough, turning to coat with grease.
Cover with plastic and leave to rise until double in bulk, about 15 minutes or so.
Turn the dough out, punch down, then form into two loaves.
Place in greased bread pans, cover lightly with plastic, and let rise again, about 15 minutes.
Bake in a preheated 425 degree F oven 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350℉ (180℃) F and continue to bake 30 minutes.
Cool on racks.
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