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1940s Batter Bread

Source of Recipe

"Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen" by Francine Bryson


Recipe Introduction

"This is an oldie but goodie. You know, the kind that makes you think of June Cleaver vacuuming in heels? Or Aunt Bee getting groceries delivered by a boy on a bike with a bow tie? Well, this is that kind of recipe, a tried-and-true, good old-fashioned loaf bread perfect for sandwiches."

List of Ingredients

◦  ½ cup whole milk, scalded
◦  1½ tablespoons sugar
◦  ½ tablespoon salt
◦  1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
◦  ½ cup warm water (105° to 115° F)
◦  1 (0.25-ounce) envelope active dry yeast
◦  2¼ cups all-purpose flour


Recipe

In a large bowl, mix together the scalded milk, sugar, salt, and butter, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cool to lukewarm.

Put the warm water in a large bowl, sprinkle in the yeast, and stir to dissolve. Add the lukewarm milk mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour, a little at a time, and then beat vigorously until well blended, about 2 minutes. The batter will be shiny and smooth and leave the sides of the bowl fairly clean. Cover the dough with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm place until slightly more than doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Grease 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

Stir the batter down and beat vigorously for 30 seconds by hand with a wooden spoon. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until the loaf is well browned, 40 to 50 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.


Makes one 9-inch loaf