BRUSH
Keeping It Clean

It's February, and it should be cold enough in Dresher to snow, but instead it's a raw, rainy day. In Newton, Massachusetts, where my daughter (and First Assistant Pastry Chef) lives, it's cold and snowy, snowy enough to cancel school. And as my daughter learned in the Cookie Lady kitchens, when it's a snow day, it's time to bake bread. So Paige started baking with her Chief Assistant Pastry Chef, Isabella Silvie Malerman Shaw, who is now almost 3 years old. She's a chip off the old butcher block and an excellent bread dough kneader, a little messy, but thorough.

So I was inspired by my favorite New Englanders to invent, per their request, something "good but simple." I hope you like this effort as much as they do. It's really easy, give it a try! Just be sure to read the whole recipe before you start.

Heat to scalding (where you see small bubbles form around the edge, but not large bubbles as when boiling) in the microwave. Note that cooking time will depend on your microwave. Pour about ½ c. of the milk into another cup and set aside to cool.

Then add to the larger cup

• 4 Tbsp. butter or margarine (that has been cut up into small pieces) into the remaining 1½ c. milk. Stir until the butter melts from the heat of the milk.

When the ½ c. milk is down to lukewarm, sprinkle on

• 2 pkg. active dry yeast
• 1 tsp. sugar

Allow the yeast and sugar to dissolve and wait for it to "proof," meaning that the mixture will foam and grow (about 5 minutes).

Meanwhile, place in a large mixing bowl

• 3½ c. all purpose flour
• 1½ c. whole wheat flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp. sugar

Pour in the milk and butter mixture and the yeast mixture and add

• 1 large egg

Mix until a soft shaggy dough is formed.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead until the dough is smooth, about 10 minutes.

Place dough in a large well oiled bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Set the bowl in a warm place and allow the dough to double in size, about one hour.

Remove the dough from the bowl, place it on a work surface and press it out to flatten. Cut the dough into three equal parts and shape each into a log. Fold each in half like an envelope and press to seal the bottom seam. Place each in a loaf pan (I use 2 lb. disposable foil pans). Cover again and place in a warm place to rise again -- about 45 minutes to 1 hour. The dough should rise about 1½" above the top of the loaf pan.

Place your oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 375°.

Warm about 1 Tbsp. of milk in the microwave (with an optional tiny bit of butter added) and brush each loaf with milk. With a sharp knife, make a slit ¼" deep down the center of each loaf.

Bake the loaves until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove the loaves from the pans and place on a baking rack in the oven. Bake for another 15 minutes, until each loaf registers 190° on an instant-read thermometer.

Notes:

1. This recipe can also work with all all purpose flour instead of a mixture of whole wheat and all purpose.
2. You can substitute an equivalent amount of honey for the sugar.

A Cookie Lady Recipe