Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Barb's Dilly Bread

I'm so proud of my sister; she created this bread on Sunday and couldn't wait to share the recipe with me.  Often hesitant about working with yeast, I think she surprised herself how perfectly this turned out and we laughed after I said, "see, you did get the bread gene!"

Herb breads are one of my favorites to make because of the flavor they add to an ordinary sandwich.  The first time I had a really good herb bread was in the early 80s when I made a trip to California with my mom and dad to visit an older brother.  We had lunch at a little cafe in Benicia (which was actually the first capital of California) and I ordered their Veggie Sandwich on Herb Bread--delicious.

My sister's Dilly Bread reminded me of that bread and I couldn't wait to try baking a loaf yesterday.  Interestingly, most of the recipes, she found, called for cottage cheese and as they say, "necessity is the mother of invention", she came up with combining sour cream and buttermilk to substitute.  Also, she had the advantage of fresh dill because of a Christmas present her hubby gave her--an AeroGarden.  I have one, but it's still packed and I'm afraid the three kittens would be munching on the greens:-( So, I substituted dried, but I'll give the measurement for both since this summer, I will certainly be planting herbs on the patio.

Barb's Dilly Bread
1 T King Arthur Flour Gold Instant Yeast (or any dry you have on hand)
1/4 cup warm water (about 105-110F-degrees)
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
Mix these ingredients in a 1-cup glass measure and proof for 5-7 minutes.
It should appear bubbly if you have active yeast!

In another glass measure, warm 1/2 cup sour cream with 1/2 cup buttermilk in the microwave oven--about 30 seconds.

In a stand mixer, using the dough hook, add the following:
2 1/2 cups King Arthur Bread flour
2 T granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1T softened, unsalted butter
2T dried minced onion
2 T fresh dill, snipped (or 2 1/2 tsp. dried)
1 tsp. salt (I used a new salt developed especially for bread baking)
Combine those ingredients, then add the proofed yeast and the sour cream/buttermilk.  Allow the mixer to knead the dough about 5 minutes or until the dough comes together away from the sides of the bowl.  If you need to add more water and/or flour, do so a tablespoon at a time to achieve a smooth dough.
Place the dough into a greased or lightly oiled bowl, right side down, then turn right side up to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until doubled, about 45 minutes.  
 Punch down the dough and knead by hand.  Roll the dough out to a 8 x 8-inch square, then start to roll the dough, pressing each time to seal the roll.  This process ensures that your bread doesn't develop gaping holes in it.  Place into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and cover again with plastic wrap, sprayed with a baking oil.
Allow to rise another 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat your over to 350F-degrees.  When the dough has doubled again, bake 25-30 minutes.  My Sis said her's took 30 minutes and so did mine!  Turn out onto a rack and allow to cool...as tempting as it may be to cut into that hot loaf!
Here's my loaf. I made grilled cheese and they were delicious.
My sister's turned out perfectly and I'm so happy she shared this recipe with us all! Enjoy!
 

22 comments:

  1. Susan, what a beautiful rise this bread has! Looks yummy--I must try this recipe--tell your sister thank you! xoxo ♥

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    1. I will tell her--we sure enjoyed it and I can't until Spring to get my dill growing!

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  2. Thank you so much for the wonderful post!!! I am indeed very proud that I actually made a loaf of bread that looked and tasted so good!! Love you, Sis

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    1. Love you and thanks for a great recipe! XOXO

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  3. Susan, this really does look good. I haven't baked bread in a long time but this recipe might just be the one I try!
    hugs,
    Linda

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    1. I think my sister would encourage you to give it a go! XOXO

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  4. Hello dear Susan...I have to say, that bread looks divine. Mmm mmm mm I could dive into the computer screen right now, to get a bite. yummy. Thanks for the recipe. And Susan, thanks for your sweet visit today. Susan

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  5. I like herb breads, too. I don't bake them so I get them from local bakery or panero breads. we do have this local bakery that makes very good stuffed breads...yum!
    stamping sue
    http://stampingsueinconnecticut.blogspot.com/

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    1. You're right--this would make a great Brest for Thanksgiving stuffing!

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  6. wow this looks bakery perfect! I am curious about that bread salt.

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    1. I'll send you some Angie. It's has extra "minerals" mixed in to feed the yeast! XOXO

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  7. Hi Susan
    I have what may be a silly question, I have never made bread before and would like to attempt this recipe, it looks amazing! I don't have a stand mixer, would it turn out just the same without?
    Just curious.
    Many thanks
    Tracy

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    1. Absolutely! When I got married, my mother gave me a big wooden bowl to make our bread/rolls in. I'm a fan of doing it by hand. It's like gardening and not wearing gloves:-D

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  8. Okay, you have to come visit so you can teach me to make a beautiful loaf of bread like that!!! In return, I will give you fresh eggs and honey and as many cats to snuggle with as you'd like! :)

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  9. It looks amazing and I sure it tastes amazing too. I've never baked my own bread from scratch and I want to so bad. I'm going to have to give it a try soon.

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    1. Bread baking is really quite therapeutic with wonderful rewards! As long as you "proof" your yeast, you can't go wrong:-D

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  10. Looks great, and I am glad your sister's loaf came out so well! I love the smell and taste of dill!

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  11. My dill needed pruning again in my Aero Garden so I made another loaf of Dilly Bread at the request of my hubby. I also added some chives this time as they need pruning also!! Love my Aero Garden!! This is really a great accomplishment for me because unlike my Sis, making anything with yeast is very intimidating. Thanks again to my Sister for making me her guest blogger! Love you.

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