If you have ineffable memories of eating Onion Pletzl, Chocolate Blackout Cake, warm Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts, or tangy Corn Rye Bread, a recipe for the bliss of your childhood may very well be in Jill Van Cleve's gem of a book, The Neighborhood Bake Shop. She's managed to include legendary places
Buttercrust Bread is an extremely tender, very basic white bread. It makes a perfect accompaniment to the simple pot roast and meat loaf dinners that so many of us Heartlanders grew up on. After rising in the pan, the loaf is given a deep slash down the center to cradle the melted butter poured over the top before baking, lending a golden hue
Yield: 1 large loaf
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water (95 to 110 degrees F)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water. Set aside to proof until bubbly, about 5 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, sugar, salt, and 3 tablespoons of the butter. Stir in the yeast mixture. Add 3 1/4 cups of the flour, a little at a time.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead in the remaining 1/4 cup flour, continuing to knead for 5 to 7 minutes, until the dough feels smooth and elastic. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature to rise until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Return the dough to a work surface. Push the dough out into a rectangle, roll it up, and pinch the ends to seal. Place the roll seam side down in a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Flatten the dough in the pan to fill it evenly. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature to rise until dough reaches the top of the pan, about 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Allow to cool a bit, but not to solidify. Cut a 1/2-inch-deep slash down the center of the risen loaf with the tip of a sharp knife or a razor blade. Drizzle the remaining melted butter into the crevice and over the top of the dough.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until deep golden brown. (When unmolded, the loaf should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.) Remove the bread to a wire rack to cool.
