30 Minute Honey Whole Wheat Skillet Bread (from Averiecooks.com)
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda pinch salt, optional and to taste 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon medium molasses. (Avoid dark or blackstrap molasses that would add bitterness) 1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar, packed (I use light brown) 1 1/4 cups buttermilk* (see Buttermilk Tips below if you don’t have it on hand)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400F. Spray an enamelled cast-iron skillet with cooking spray, grease a seasoned cast iron skillet, or prepare an oven-safe 8 to 12 inches in diameter skillet; set aside. Alternatively, you can bake bread on a greased baking sheet.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients in the order listed, except the buttermilk, and give a quick stir to mix them. Pour 1 cup buttermilk over the top. Stir to combine. Dough should be quite loose, shaggy, and very moist. The flour is like a sponge, and if dough is at all dry, add up to 1/4 cup buttermilk so that it’s nicely moistened, and stir until just combined (it will likely end up being about 1 1/4 cups buttermilk total). Dough will be lumpy, bumpy, thick, and not at all smooth; don’t overmix and don’t try to make it smooth. Turn dough out into skillet in a circular mound that’s about 6 inches in diameter and 3 to 4 inches high. Score top of bread with a knife, making a cross.
Bake at 400F for 15 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350F and bake for 10 minutes, or until bread is golden and done. (When you lower the temperature to 350F, also rotate the skillet by 180 degrees to ensure even baking).
With a large spatula, slide or nudge bread out onto a wire rack immediately to cool. Don’t keep it in the skillet because it will continue to cook and bottom will get too browned. Serve after it’s sufficiently cooled. **Note – If you’re not consuming this bread immediately and it stays on a rack to cool for an hour or two, you may observe a fair amount of water released that’s pooled underneath the rack (up to 3 TBSP in one hour). Store fully cooled bread by wrapping it in Saran wrap, then placing it inside a large Ziplock where it stays fresh for up to 4 days. Bread may also be frozen for up to 3 months.
RECIPE NOTES AND TIPS:
*Buttermilk Tips – Add 2 tablespoons white vinegar (or lemon juice) to 1 cup milk, wait 10 minutes to allow it to curdle, stir; use as necessary. Or, add about 1/4 cup yogurt to about 1 cup milk, stir; use as necessary.
