Easy Batter Bread

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cups warm water (110â°-115â°f)
• 3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour (or unbleached "bread flour")
• 2 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• unsalted butter, for brushing the top crust (optional)

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
• 2 stir sugar into yeast/water mixture, let mixture sit until tiny bubbles start to form.
• 3 add butter, salt and half the flour.
• 4 with electric mixer on medium speed, beat batter for 2 minutes.
• 5 add remaining flour, stirring by hand (or on low speed) until well blended and smooth (batter will be very thick, like a very soft dough).
• 6 cover bowl with a tea towel, and let the batter rise in a warm draft free place for 30-60 minutes or until doubled.
• 7 beat the batter by hand, about 25 strokes (the dough will deflate).
• 8 spread batter evenly into a greased 8x3 or 9x4 inch loaf pan.
• 9 smooth out the top of the loaf by patting it with your floured hand.
• 10 cover pan, and let batter rise again (about 30-60 minutes) until dough has reached the top of the pan.
• 11 bake in a preheated 375â°f oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when the top is lightly tapped.
• 12 remove from pan.
• 13 for a softer crust, brush the top of the hot loaf with butter.
• 14 cool on a wire rack.
• 15 bread slices best when it is cooled.