I started making it five years ago after visiting Lancaster PA and got the recipe from a book out there( along with the most amazing potato buns but I'll post those another day)
So, he loves the bread. Asks for it like it's candy. And sometimes it's just so much easier to open the blog on my phone and look at the ingredients this way than it is to open up my cabinet and search for the recipe( which is scribbled on a paint sample paper by the way)
I wish I wasn't gluten free so I could enjoy it... I'll take the smell that floats around for hours after!
"Dean's Butta Bread"
This recipe is for two loaves. Cutting it in half works just fine as well. We freeze one and use the other.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups of warm water ( I use the baby thermometer to measure this at 110 degrees)
2/3 cup raw sugar
4 tablespoons butter melted
1 tsp kosher salt
6.5 cup unbleached flour
Olive oil
Directions:
1. In a sauce pan on low heat slowly melt the butter. Remove from heat when melted.
2. In a glass bowl, mix together the water, sugar and yeast. Store to combine. Set your timer for ten minutes and wait until it blooms. If it doesn't, your yeast may not be active, try again:)
3. Pour into an extra large pot ( I used a sauce pot or the bowl from the kitchen aid) Mix in the melted butter, half the flour, and salt. Begin to mix with a fork until the dough is thickened. Slowly add the remaining flour, and knead for five minutes. Stop when the dough is able to stay in an elastic ball, and springs back when pressed in with a finger. If it is too sticky still add flour only a table spoon at a time. You should be able to mix without the dough getting stuck on your hands.
4. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead on a floured surface about five to ten times. Clean out another glass bowl and coat with olive oil. When placing the ball into the bowl turn it to make sure the oil gets on every piece of dough.
5. Place a damp towel over the bowl and remain covered for one hour, or until doubled in size.
6. Once complete, take the dough out and cut in half. Press out each dough into a square and picture it as a piece of paper. Fold up one third, then the bottom third and then pinch together the seams. Turn over and place into a buttered bread pan. Cover with cloth and allow to rise another hour.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, and make sure your top doesn't burn. Once out of the oven, brush with some melted butter and let cool.
We have used this for rolls, hamburger buns etc. Our favorite is adding a diced onion, olive oil, dill, pepper, salt, garlic powder to the top of the buns for onion bread!
