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#6 Cottage Loaf

A soft, rich loaf with a tender crumb. Nice sandwiches, toast, or dinner parties.
Course Bread

Equipment

  • KitchenAid mixer, if you have one, with a dough hook

Ingredients
  

  • 2⅔ cups white bread flour
  • teaspoons salt
  • 2⅓ teaspoons instant yeast
  • 6 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1⅛ cups warm water (110-120°F)

Instructions
 

  • Put the flour, salt, yeast, and butter in a bowl. Blend the butter into the flour with your fingers, like you would when making pie crust. It takes about 3 minutes and it gives you the chance to show your bread some love.
  • Pour in the water and mix slowly with a dough hook until you have a soft dough. It should be just a tiny bit sticky.
  • Continue to mix with your dough hook for about 3-5 minutes, then tip it onto the countertop and knead a few minutes longer until the dough is stretchy.
  • Put the dough back in the bowl and let rise 1 hour or until doubled.
  • Put the dough on the countertop, and rip off about 1/3. Form both pieces into balls and stack one on top of the other (like a snowman), on a baking sheet. Push your finger all the way through the center of the dough, from top to bottom, to ensure they don't separate.
  • Dust with flour and make vertical slashes in the dough.
  • Let rise 30-45 minutes until the dough has doubled.
  • Preheat over to 450°F. Bake 30 minutes or until the center of the loaf reaches 190°F.