Buttery & Soft Honey Ricotta Cheese Yeast Bread
one 9 x 4 x 4 inch pullman loaf (or one 9 x 5 inch loaf)
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups bread flour , pre-sifted (540g)*
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 Tbsp honey , or maple syrup **
- 15 oz full fat ricotta cheese , warm or room temperature ***
- 1 ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons water , warm or room temperature (385g)
Instructions
- Mix all the dry ingredients (bread flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt) in the bowl of the stand mixer.
- Add the ricotta cheese, honey and 1 ½ cup of water to the dry ingredients
- Start to knead the dough at a low setting (speed 2) for about a minute, until all the ingredients are combined. Add the additional 2 Tbsp of water (only if needed - the dough should be soft, but not so wet that it loses its shape )
- Continue to knead for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the dough pulls away from the bowl and forms a smooth, supple ball.
- Remove the finished dough from the mixer bowl and place in a lightly greased bowl.
- Cover and let rise until doubled, about 90-120 minutes***
- Punch down the dough, then remove from bowl. Place on a generously floured surface and divide into 4 equal sized pieces.
- Use a small rolling pin to flatten each piece into a 6 x 9 inch rectangles, and fold into thirds. Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a tight cylinder (like a sushi roll or cinnamon roll). Pinch the ends to seal. Repeat with the other 3 pieces and place in a well-oiled bread pan. Here's a step by step guide to how I shape bread dough, here!
- Let the dough rise again for 60 minutes until puffy. Toward the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 350F / 180C
- Optional: To add some color and shine to the bread as it bakes, gently brush the tops of the bread with 1 Tbsp of non-dairy milk mixed with 1 Tbsp of maple syrup. (Regular milk or egg wash also works).
- Bake the bread for 15 minutes, then cover / tent the bread with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning, and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until the interior of the bread reaches 190°F.
- Take the bread out of the oven, turn it out on a rack, and cool it slightly before slicing. Enjoy!
- Note: You can store this bread loaf, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can place them in a plastic freezer bag or airtight container and freeze up to 3 months, then defrost them at room temperature or microwave before eating.
Notes
*Weigh your flour for the best results. 1 cup of bread flour = 120 grams / 4.23 oz
**For yeasted breads, I would not recommend using sugar-free substitutes such as liquid stevia since they can cause the bread to not rise properly.
***For best results, set ricotta cheese to room temperature or move to a microwave safe container and heat for 30 seconds to warm.
****It's best if the bowl is put in a warm place, for example, inside an oven that's been preheated for just a quick 10 seconds and spritzed with some water.
Nutrition
Calories: 172kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 7gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 152mgPotassium: 71mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 106IUVitamin C: 0.03mgVitamin D: 0.05µgCalcium: 55mgIron: 0.4mgZinc: 1mg***Net Carbs: 27g
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