I baked this bread in the last weeks already several times. One time with raisins, one time with dried apricots and walnuts, once just plain. And always when I start to bake a bread repeatedly it is a clear sign that I have a new favourite.
I like the good balance of the hint of buttermilk sourness and the subtle sweetness of this bread. And if you add raisins or other dried fruits the bread moves a bit more onto the sweet side but is still well balanced. Freshly baked it is one of the breads I eat with just a dab of butter. Is there anything in the world that tastes better then a freshly baked sweet bread with fluffy crumb?
I baked the bread in my new tiny 500g loaf pans. These pans are brand new in my baking pan collection and I already realized that they are perfect for baking such sweet breads or whole grain breads. And it is perfect if you need some small loaves to share with family and friends!
Sweet Buttermilk Bread
yields 4 Bread of each 500g
Pâte Fermentée
- 220g flour Type 550
- 130g Water
- 2g fresh yeast
- 5g Salt
Dough
- Pâte Fermentée
- 680g flour Type 550
- 100g spelt flour Type 630
- 430g Buttermilk
- 13g Salt
- 18g yeast
- 150g sugar
- 200g Butter
Alternative 1: Raisin Bread
- 300g Raisins
Alternative 2: Fruit Bread
- 120g Raisins
- 120g Apricots
- 120g Walnuts
Mix all ingredients for the pâte fermentée and ferment it for 1 hour at room temperature. Then put the dough into the fridge for at least 12 hours.
Place all ingredients except the butter in the kitchen machine and knead 5 min at slowest speed, then around 7 min at fast speed. Now add the sugar in small increments and knead until the sugar is incooperated before adding the next sugar. At last add the butter all at once. Knead to full gluten development. If you want to make the raisin or fruit bread variant add now the fruits and knead until incooperated.
Ferment for 90 min.
Degase the dough and 4 equal parts. Roll each piece into a long thin oval, wet the surface and roll into a log. Let rest for 10 min, then roll it again along the seam to an long, thin oval, fold the long sides into the middle and roll again tightly to a log. Elongate to strand to the length of the baking pan.
Place each strand in a buttered pan (16 cm long, for 500g).
Proof for 90 min.
Bake with steam at 175°C for about 55 min.
