In a effort to evoke the holiday spirit in our household, I’m pulling out all the stops. Baking fresh bread with rich fall flavors! Check out the Harvest Loaf (beet bread), it was a hit too!
One of my favorite flavor combinations is brown butter and sage. It’s amazing with pasta! The brown butter is such a gorgeous nutty profile and pairs with almost anything sweet or savory. And let’s be honest… anytime you bake with butter, it’s better!
Melt the butter in a saucepan, over medium heat. Continue to let it cook after it’s melted, till it’s a nice nutty brown color. You’ll see the milk solids separate slightly and turn brown.
Mince up some fresh sage!
After proofing the yeast in the warm milk, stir in the brown butter. Add to the flour and mix till a dough forms. Knead it till soft and elastic and then let it rise in a warm damp place till doubled in size.
Before rising.
After rising, doubled in size.
Roll the dough out into a rectangle shape. Then roll it up and tuck the ends under. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise again.
Brush with egg wash before baking at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.
Brown Butter Sage Bread
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast
- 3/4 cup warm milk (110 degrees)
- 4 tbsp butter, browned and cooled
- 1-2 tsp fresh minced sage
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 egg + 1 tbsp water, egg wash
“If you don’t have fresh sage, you can substitute with dried. Just cut the amount down by half.”
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, till brown in color. Pour into a bowl to cool to slightly warmer than room temperature.
- Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the warm milk and let it stand for 5 minutes to proof. It will get nice and foamy.
- Mince the sage and measure out 1-2 teaspoons.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add 2 cups of the flour, salt and sage.
- Stir the brown butter into the yeast mixture.
- With the dough hook attachment, mix the yeast into the flour. Add more flour as needed till the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Knead the dough on a slightly floured surface till smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a bowl, sprayed with non stick spray., and cover with a warm moist towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for an hour or when doubled in size.
- Once the dough is risen, roll it out on a slightly floured surface, into a rectangle shape. Roll the dough, jelly roll style, then tuck the end under. Place on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non stick spray.
- Allow to rise again for 30 minutes.
- Beat the egg and water together and brush onto the surface of the loaf.
- Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely before slicing.
the MELecular Kitchen 