Buttermilk Braids

I can do no wrong in the kitchen lately. Even desserts, a territory that isn’t typically my forte, have been coming together effortlessly for me without the aide of a recipe.

I had leftover buttermilk from the delicious Biscones and wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do with it, so I started thinking maybe I would make a pizza dough with it. Then I thought a buttermilk pizza dough might turn out kind of gross, so I added some sugar, eggs and butter to it instead and ended up with a soft brioche kind of dough.

I weighed my options. I figured the dough could just as easily become cinnamon buns as it could anything, which I’ve had on the brain lately, but I decided I’d braid the dough and then brush it with an icing glaze. I thought they were a little undersweetened on my first taste, so I just added a little sprinkle of sugar and a drizzle of honey to step it up a bit, and I must say I’m pretty happy with it.

I’ve been calling them donuts, which they sort of are, but I guess a more appropriate name would be buttermilk braids. That moniker should stick like icing to your fingers.

Buttermilk Braids

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk, warm
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 3-4 cups flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons table salt
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 cup icing sugar mixed with just enough milk to form a paste
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey

1. Combine the warm water, yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl and let stand to proof for 10 minutes. It should get nice and foamy.
2. Add the warm buttermilk, melted butter and eggs with about half of the flour. Mix well until smooth.
3. Add the sugar and salt, then continue adding flour until the dough no longer sticks to your hands.
4. Knead the dough for several minutes and then transfer it to a new, lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to double in bulk, which will take anywhere between an hour and two. Don’t rush it.
5. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
6. Punch the dough down and roll it out to a thickness of about 1/8″. Slice the dough into approximately 1″ wide strips, trying to end up with a multiple of three.
7. Take three of the dough strips and line them parallel to each other. Press one end of them together and braid them, intertwining each side over and under the middle piece of dough, and fastening them when you get to the end. If you need instructions on how-to braid, I’m sure there are many videos available on the Internet, or ask your sister.
8. Repeat the braiding with the remaining dough and transfer these braids to a greased baking sheet. Brush with the egg wash and bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
9. When the braids are finished baking, transfer them to cool racks on top of disposable paper. Brush the glaze on with a pastry brush, sprinkle with sugar and drizzle with honey.

I was kind of hoping for more of a sour cream donut flavor for this, but the buttermilk isn’t really that prominent. I guess the only real way to get sour cream donut flavor is to use sour cream. I’ll have to drown my disappointment in buttermilk donuts.

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