Caraway Cottage Cheese Bread
A very flavorful loaf that can be used for sandwiches or toasting.
Servings 16
Cost 5
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup warm water, plus a little more if needed
- 3 cups bread flour (I use King Arthur) (400 grams)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons caraway seeds
- 2 tablespoons wheat germ, toasted or untoasted
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons clover honey (40 grams)
- 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses (20 grams)
- 1 cup small curd cottage cheese, whole milk** (230 grams)
- 1 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten, room temp (50 grams)
- honey or molasses for brushing
Instructions
- Put the water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the yeast. Allow it to sit until it bubbles (proof), then add 3 cups of flour (400 grams), caraway seeds, wheat germ, salt, 2 tablespoons of honey, molasses, cottage cheese and egg.
- At this point you'll have a very thick mixture and will need to use the paddle attachment to mix. Beat with the paddle until you have a soft dough.
- Cover the mixing bowl and let the dough rise until doubled. This should take an hour to an hour and a half.
- Punch down dough and fit it into a very well greased 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan. Cover with a greased piece of plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for another 45 minutes to an hour or until it's an inch above the rim in the center. Sometimes it's hard to know how long the second rise will take, so the most important thing is to go by what you see rather than the time.
- Shortly before you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the risen loaf in the 400 degree oven, then close the door and reduce the heat to 350. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden and loaf sounds hollow.
- Remove from oven and brush hot loaf with honey. Let cool for about 10 to 15 minutes, then remove from loaf pan and let cool completely before slicing.
Notes
To substitute low fat cottage cheese, add 1/2 tablespoon oil or softened butter. For a kneaded bread, start with 1/2 cup of water. Use the 400 grams of flour as directed. Knead with the dough hook, but as you knead add flour (up to 1/2 cup) until dough clears the side of the bowl and is less sticky. Transfer to a very oily or buttery bowl and let rise, then let rise again in the loaf pan.
