Buttermilk Bread (Carolyn Hillje)

Carolyn Hillje

2 cups whole wheat flour,

3 cups all purpose flour (stir these two flours together)

¼ c. sugar

2 tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

2 pkg. active dry yeast

1 ½ cups buttermilk

½ cup water

½ cup margarine or butter

Grease two 8x4 or 9x5 inch loaf pans. In large bowl, combine 2 cups of the mixed flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and yeast; blend well. In small saucepan, heat buttermilk, water and 1/2 cup butter until very warm (120 to 130 F). (Mixture will look curdled.) Add warm liquid to flour mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 min. at medium speed. Stir in an additional 2 ½ to 3 cups flour until dough pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl.

On floured surface, knead in ½ to 1cup flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 min. Place dough in greased bowl; cover loosely with damp towel. Let rise in warm place (80° to 85° F) until light and doubled in size, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Punch down dough several times to remove all air bubbles. Divide into two parts. Shape into loaves, place seam side down in each greased pan. Cover; let rise in warm place till dough fills pans and tops of loaves are about 1 inch above pan edges, about 40 minutes.

Heat oven to 375° F. Bake 30 to 40 minutes to till loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped. Remove from pans to a rack and brush with 1 T. melted butter.