One of the best aspects of my buttermilk bread dough is it’s versatility. It works equally well in loaves, rolls, and even cinnamon rolls. It’s a classic, soft white bread with a bit of sweetness and richness, but no one would confuse it with a cake or brioche. The bread freezes well, so it’s worth it to make a large batch. Rolls thaw in an hour or two, and loaves left out overnight are ready for the next morning.
Buttermilk Bread
A delicious versatile white bread base
This versatile white bread works well as loaves, burger or sandwich buns, or cinnamon rolls.
Ingredients
Tangzhong:
50 g bread flour
100 mL water
100 mL buttermilk
Dough:
100 g 50% sourdough starter (optional)
1000 g bread flour
12 g salt
64 g sugar
9 g yeast
3 eggs, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons butter, melted
400 ml buttermilk
Directions
- Make the tangzhong: mix the flour, water, and buttermilk until smooth. Heat in a saucier or skillet on low heat while stirring constantly until a thick paste is formed. Alternatively, microwave in 20 seconds bursts, stirring after each heating until consistency is that of a thick paste.
- Add all ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Mix on lowest speed until all flour is absorbed.
- Increase speed (2 on a Kitchen Aid mixer) and kneed about 10 minutes.
- Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover in plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled (about an hour).
- Divide into thirds. One third could be a loaf, 8-10 rolls, or 6-8 cinnamon buns.
- For loaves, bake at 350° F for 30-35 minutes. For rolls, bake at 375° F for 15-20 minutes.
