Butter-Top Bread
No need to butter your toast with this bread, and the added richness makes leftovers from this loaf the perfect candidate for French toast and bread pudding.
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 1 LOAF
- ¾ cup warm water
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2½ teaspoons active dry yeast (about a package and a half)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4–5 cups bread flour
- ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
In a large bowl, combine the water, milk, sugar, and yeast. Stir to dissolve and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Add the egg, salt, softened butter, and 1 cup flour. Stir to combine. Add enough remaining flour to create a firm dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 8–10 minutes. Return to bowl, dust the top lightly with flour, and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 1½ hours.
Coat a 9″ × 5″ loaf pan with pan spray, and line the bottom and short sides with a strip of parchment. Turn risen dough onto a floured surface and shape into an oblong loaf. Place into prepared pan, seam-side down. Cover lightly with a damp cloth and set aside to proof for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Using a serrated knife, slice risen loaf lengthwise, and brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Bake until golden brown and hollow sounding, about 30–40 minutes. Remove finished bread from the oven and immediately brush remaining melted butter on top of loaf. Cool 10 minutes, remove from pan, and cool completely on a rack.
