Last week, I used buttermilk in a casserole, but then had a significant amount leftover. What do you do with almost an entire quart of buttermilk? I started by trolling the Internet for a few ideas and found this bread recipe on Butter with a Side of Bread.

The breads I bake tend toward whole grains and sour doughs, so this was a different kind of recipe than we are used to. What came from the oven was a hugely fragrant and soft loaf with a hint of tang which reminded me of dinner rolls. Delicious – and a quick and simple bake!

If serendipity again leaves most of a quart of leftover buttermilk in my refrigerator, I know what I’ll do to make good use of it. Homemade Buttermilk Bread is a winner!

Homemade buttermilk bread

Recipe from Butter with a Side of Bread.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (can simulate this by adding lemon juice to regular milk in a pinch)
• 2 TBSP melted butter (I used a neutral oil)
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 cups AP or bread flour (I used bread flour)
• 1 TBSP yeast

Method

1. Combine buttermilk, butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl (I used my mixer with dough hook), combine the dry ingredients including the yeast. Whisk together to combine.
3. Now add the buttermilk mixture. Mix to combine (adjust liquids or dry ingredients to make the right consistency for bread dough).
4. Mix the dough on low for 6-7 minutes or knead by hand for 10 minutes. This is critical.
5. Cover the dough and let rise in a warm place (oven proofing settings are great) for about 1 hour until the dough is doubled in size.
6. Punch down dough and knead several times. Shape into a loaf and place into a greased loaf pan. Cover and return the dough to a warm spot to rise for another 30-45 minutes.
7. Preheat the over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake dough for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown. Cool and slice.