Christmas Batter Bread Recipes

BATTER WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Mix together shortening, sugar, salt, yeast, and 1 1/5 cups flour. Add warm water and beat by hand about 300 strokes, or 3 minutes, with an electric mixer. Add remaining flour, scraping bowl often, and mix all together until smooth.
• Cover with a clean cloth and let rise until doubled in volume.
• Stir dough down gently, and spoon into a lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pan (the batter should be sticky). Pat down with floured hands to help shape. Cover again, and let rise for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake for about 45 minutes. Place on a cooling rack, and brush top with melted butter.

BETTER BATTER RYE BREAD

Steps:

• Put butter, sugar, salt, caraway and onions in large mixer bowl. Pour water over and stir. Cool to lukewarm, then sprinkle the yeast over and let it sit for a couple of minutes, no more. Yeast should be get a bit foamy. Mix the bread flour and the cocoa. The cocoa doesn't give it a chocolate flavor, but, like the molasses, darkens the color. Put the regular beaters in the mixer and add the flour mix to the water mix. Beat in slowly, then beat on medium for about 5 minutes, to develop the dough. Switch to the dough hooks, and gradually add 2 cups of the rye flour. The dough should be thick and heavy, but not thick enough to knead. Add a little more rye flour if it's too wet. Spoon into a greased loaf pan, put a little butter on your hands, and pat it down lightly to get into it the corners. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.
• Some people add a tablespoon of instant coffee, to make the bread even darker, or 2 teaspoons of dried dill. Both are really good. You can also substitute plain yogurt for all or part of the butter. If you don't have bulk yeast, use 2 tablespoons. I buy my yeast at a health food store. It's better yeast, and it's a whole lot cheaper.

EASY BATTER BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
• Stir sugar into yeast/water mixture, let mixture sit until tiny bubbles start to form.
• Add butter, salt and half the flour.
• With electric mixer on medium speed, beat batter for 2 minutes.
• 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).
• Cover bowl with a tea towel, and let the batter rise in a warm draft free place for 30-60 minutes or until doubled.
• Beat the batter by hand, about 25 strokes (the dough will deflate).
• Spread batter evenly into a greased 8x3 or 9x4 inch loaf pan.
• Smooth out the top of the loaf by patting it with your floured hand.
• Cover pan, and let batter rise again (about 30-60 minutes) until dough has reached the top of the pan.
• Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when the top is lightly tapped.
• Remove from pan.
• For a softer crust, brush the top of the hot loaf with butter.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Bread slices best when it is cooled.

SALLY LUNN BATTER BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, sugar, salt, eggs and 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Do not knead. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Stir the dough down. Spoon into a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. , Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool., Combine the honey butter ingredients until smooth. Serve with bread.