Rich Bread

Name: Rich Bread
Yield: makes 2 round loaves or 1 huge one
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more as needed; 2 teaspoons instant active dry yeast, such as SAF; 2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt; 1 tablespoon sugar; 2 tablespoons cold butter; 2 eggs; About 1 cup milk; Softened butter as needed; Melted butter as needed

December 14, 2011

This is not unlike the classic American “white” bread—not the stuff sold in supermarkets today but the rich, milk-laden, soft (but not mushy) loaves of much of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It is no more difficult to make than French or Italian bread, but it keeps much better and is better for sandwiches. (Though it isn’t done in Portugal, you could even bake this in loaf pans.) If you have some saffron, add a pinch to the flour at the beginning for a lovely color and mysterious flavor.

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