BUTTERFLAKE HERB LOAF RECIPE

Butterflake Herb Loaf Recipe image

Provided by AzWench

Number Of Ingredients 18

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Ingredients

Dough:
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast
4 1/4 to 4 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 tablespoons potato flour
Butter Herb Filling:
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, soft
1/2 teaspoon caraway or chopped fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon grated onion or chopped chives
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic, minced

Steps:

1) Bring the milk to a simmer and pour over the butter, in a mixing bowl or the pan of your bread machine. Add the sugar and salt, and let the mixture cool to lukewarm. 2) When the liquid is tepid (110°F for instant yeast, 120°F for active dry), add the eggs, yeast, 3 1/2 cups of flour, and the potato flour and begin mixing the dough. 3) After the dough comes together and has mixed for 3 minutes, touch the dough to test its consistency. If wet dough comes off on your finger, add more flour 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing between additions until it's incorporated. 4) Once the dough is smooth and soft, not sticky, let the bread machine finish its cycle, or place the dough in a greased container, cover, and let rise for 1 hour. 5) While the dough is rising, place the herb butter ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. 6) After the dough has risen, deflate it and roll it out on a floured surface 1/2" thick. Cut in 3 1/2" to 4" circles with a cutter or English muffin ring. 7) Butter half of each circle, fold in half, and place in a 12" x 4" x 2 1/2" tea loaf pan, or two 8 1/2 x 4" bread pans. 8) Butter the scraps and stack them on top each other on a baking sheet. Cover with greased plastic and let rise for 30 to 40 minutes. 9) Bake the scraps in preheated 350°F oven for 22 to 24 minutes. 10) Bake the loaf in a preheated 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes. A ceramic loaf pan will take 5 to 7 minutes longer to bake than a metal one; tent with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking if necessary to keep the top from over-browning. You can alter the filling in any number of ways: try pesto instead of butter as the filling; and olive oil instead of butter in the dough. Another variation: mix grated cheese into the butter mixture and sprinkle more cheese on top before baking. For a sweet version of this bread, use 1/2 cup Baker's Cinnamon Filling or a mixture of butter and maple sugar instead of the herb filling. Drizzle the top with confectioners' sugar glaze if you like.