Black Pepper Bread
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 F)
1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter or margarine
1 cup milk
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 Tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon soft butter or margarine
1/2 cup sliced almonds
In a large bowl, stir yeast with water and let stand 5 minutes. In a 1- to 2-quart pan, combine the butter, milk, sugar, and salt. Heat to 110 F (butter need not melt completely). Add butter mixture to yeast mixture with the pepper, nutmeg, eggs, and 2 cups flour.
If using a dough hook, mix in 2 cups more flour and knead until the dough pulls cleanly from side of bowl, adding about 1/2 cup more flour if required. Cover with plastic wrap.
If mixing by hand, stir in 2 cups more flour until moistened, then scrape dough out onto a board coated with about 1/2 cup of the remaining flour. Knead dough, adding flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease top, and cover with plastic wrap.
Let dough (kneaded by either method) rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume, about 1-1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, smear the 1 tablespoon soft butter over bottom and sides of a 3-quart straight-sided Dutch oven with ovenproof handles. Press almonds onto buttered surface.
Punch down dough and knead briefly on a floured board to remove air. Shape into a smooth ball. Place dough, smooth side down, in the almond-coated pan; cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until dough doubles in volume, about 1 hour.
Bake, uncovered, in a 325 F oven until bread sounds hollow when tapped and is a rich golden brown on top, about 1-1/4 hours. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert bread on a rack and cool completely. Serve, or wrap airtight and store at room temperature 1 day, or freeze up to 1 month. Let thaw, wrapped at room temperature for about 8 hours.
To serve, cut bread into quarters, then cut each quarter into thin slices. Serve with orange butter or pepper butter (recipes below).
Makes 12 servings.
Orange Butter
1 cup (1/2 lb.) unsalted butter
1/2 cup orange marmalade
Beat 1 cup (1/2 lb.) unsalted butter, at room temperature, with an electric mixer until very creamy. Gradually mix in 1/2 jar (5 oz.) or 1/2 cup orange marmalade until well blended.
Black Pepper Butter
Beat 1 cups (1/2 lb.) unsalted butter
3/4 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
Beat 1 cups (1/2 lb.) unsalted butter, at room temperature, until creamy. Sprinkle surface with about 3/4 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper; press lightly so it will stick to butter.
Source: Sunset Magazine, 1984