Toast bread – in its untoasted state – isn’t nearly as sexy as big, crusty loaves of rustic sourdough. But a fragrant piece of toast with just butter or a bit of orange marmalade is a real treat. And it’s so convenient: I slice the whole loaf and freeze the slices for for on-demand toasting.
It’s almost impossible to find decent commercial toast bread. Artisan bakers don’t usually stock it; and the industrial stuff is full of sub-par ingredients and lots of sugar. Here’s my take on what a really good toast bread should be.
Honey Toast Bread
- 80% whole grain organic kamut (or your favorite variety of wheat or spelt)
- 20% unbleached organic refined bread flour
- 2% salt
- 5% honey
- 10% butter at room temperature
- 1 egg per 1000g flour
- 50% milk
- yeast
- water as necessary for desired texture
Make a pre-ferment consisting of half the flour, the milk, and yeast. Let this proof for 8-24h in the fridge. Mix up with all the remaining ingredients and knead to medium development. Proof until well risen at room temperature. Give it a few folds and let it relax for 15 minutes. Shape and put in loaf tins for final proof. Err on the side of under-proofing to avoid big air holes in your toast bread. Bake at 400F.
YeastSpotting submission #4
