2-Hours or Less Buttercrust Bread

Pining for some homemade bread in a hurry? This loaf can go from taking out the flour to putting the finished bread in your mouth in 120 minutes or less (about 15-20 minutes hands-on time). This is a Red Star Yeast recipe I’ve modified for the food processor and increased resting/raising times a bit. (Original recipe is at the end of this post.) This bread makes outstanding grilled cheese sandwiches, regular toast, and French toast.

2-Hours or Less Buttercrust Bread

Pining for some homemade bread in a hurry? This loaf can go from taking out the flour to putting the finished bread in your mouth in 120 minutes or less (about 15-20 minutes hands-on time). This is a Red Star Yeast recipe I've modified for the food processor and increased resting/raising times a bit. This bread makes outstanding grilled cheese sandwiches, regular toast, and French toast.

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Equipment

• Food processor
• Bread pan
• Rolling pin & rolling mat/surface
• Pizza stone (optional)
• Very sharp paring knife to score bread top
• Food thermometer

Ingredients

  

• 1½ tbsp Unsalted butter (reduce salt if all you have is salted butter)
• ½ c Whole milk
• ⅝ c Room temp water
• 3 cups Bread flour
• 2¼ tsps Yeast
• 1 tbsp Sugar (add more if you like a sweeter bread)
• 1¼ tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Diastatic malt powder (optional, for a crispier crust)
• ½ tbsp Melted butter (to top bread before baking)
• Butter-flavored vegetable oil spray

Instructions

 

• In a small saucepan, melt the 1½ tablespoons butter, then add the milk to warm. Do not let your butter/milk get too hot or it will kill the yeast. Should be warm to the touch.
  
• While butter is melting, add all dry ingredients in the food processor bowl and pulse to mix thoroughly.
  
• Add the room-temp water to the sauce pan with butter and milk. With the processor running, gradually pour in the liquid mixture into the bowl of the processor to combine with the dry ingredients. Let run until the bottom of the bowl is clear, and then process for one additional 1½ minutes.
  
• You should have a nice, flexible dough after letting the processor do its work.
  
• Dump the dough from the bowl onto a flat surface and shape into a nice ball. (No need to knead at this point, at all.)
  
• Spray the lower portion of a bowl or plastic container with the butter spray, drop your ball in smooth side down, and then flip it in the bowl, which picks up a light covering of the spray on the smooth top.
  
• Cover with plastic wrap or lid and let raise in a warm location for 30 minutes. (You can add a second raise here if you're not in a hurry and want a fluffier bread. Just stretch a few times, reform into a ball, put back in the bowl and let raise another 30 minutes.)
  
• After the 30-minute raise, dump the dough ball on a rolling surface.
  
• Fold the sides to the middle.
  
• Then fold ends to the middle and pinch together.
  
• Turn the dough one quarter, and roll out the dough to about ½", or about 8" by 14". From the top of the dough, start rolling and pinching the middle and ends.
  
• Continue rolling & pinching, then for the last roll, flip and pinch the seam and ends completely.
  
• Spray your loaf pan and place the loaf, seam-side down, in the pan.
  
• Cover loosely (to allow raising) with plastic wrap or cover and put in a warm place to proof your dough for about 40 minutes. If you have a microwave, you can place it in the microwave with the door ajar so the interior light provides just the right amount of heat for raising. Make sure to keep the raising dough out of a drafty area.
  
• Preheat oven to 400° during the final raise. If you have a pizza stone, put it on the middle shelf for an even bake.
• Near the end of the raise, melt the ½ tbsp butter in a small saucepan. After the 40-minute raise, your dough should have about doubled in size.
  
• With a very sharp knife, scored the bread lengthwise across the top about ½" deep.
  
• Pour the melted butter in the middle of the score slowly and let it ooze out to the ends. If necessary, tilt the pan from end to end to get the butter to cover the score completely.
  
• Bake bread on the pizza stone for 20-25 minutes at 400°. Your finished bread should read out at a minimum of 190°. If necessary, bake in 3-4 minute increments until done.
  
• Remove from the pan and let cool. I usually make at least one end slice right after coming out of the oven so the steam doesn't get trapped in the bread, softening the crust. Or if you're hungry, just slice the heck out of it and eat as much as you want while it's hot. You won't regret it! It will never taste better than it does right out of the oven.
  

This bread freezes up nicely. After the bread has completely cooled, just put in the freezer for a day until solidly frozen, and then vacuum seal to prevent against freezer burn.

Original recipe can be found here:
https://redstaryeast.com/recipes/90-minute-buttercrust-bread/