Butter Loaf

An old fashion Butter Loaf that has the crusty top, soft and moist inside. One of the most straight forward, yet beautiful bread to enjoy with your favourite choice of good quality ham and a cup of coffee or tea.

The smell of the butter after the bread's baked really irresistible for a person who likes simple breakfast bread. My son saw the loaf brought out from the kitchen, he couldn't wait but keep asking me when can he slice the bread. Keep coming to the loaf and smell the crust and said '' mommy mommy, I want french toast. '' Wonder what makes him think of french toast, by smelling the loaf ?

The slit on top give that typical Butter Loaf look is enough to make me feel the warmth of it. I find that breads do give me that cosy and comforting feeling.

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Ingredients:

Bread Flour 250g

Yeast 4g

Sugar 13g

Salt 4.5g

Warm Water 165g

Unsalted Butter 12.5g

Butter 5g (topping)

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Method:

1. Dissolve sugar and salt with 1/3 of water in a bowl.

2. Add flour to the water mixture and have a rough mixing and add in the remaining water to get a dough, followed by the yeast. Give a good knead (can be done by machine) and add in butter, into 3 separations.

3. Bring the dough on to work top and continue to knead for another 15 minutes till you get a firm and smooth dough. Cover the dough and let it have the first rise till it's double the volume.

4. After the first rise, give the dough a few more gentle knead and shape it to a ball shape, and rest for 20 minutes.

5. Roll the dough flat and roll up like a Swiss roll and put it in a bread tin for the final proofing. After it reaches 2 times the volume, slit the top of the dough and fill the slit with 5g of butter. Bake the dough in pre heat oven at 180'c for 30 minutes. When it's done, cool bread on wire rack.

6. While the bread is stil hot,. brush on butter to have a glossy finishing.