There’s something about a holiday weekend that makes Mondays extra-dull.

Especially when the holiday was on a Sunday, and you didn’t actually get any extra time off.

Like I said. Extra-dull.

But this bread totally made up for it.

Let me introduce you to Sally Lunn – bread, that is.

Legend has it that Solange Luyon was a refugee who escaped persecution in France in 1680 to Bath, England.  There she found work in the kitchen of a bakery (now the oldest house in Bath*!), and due to her colleagues unfamiliarity with the French pronunciation, began to call her Sally Lunn. Her French background allowed Sally Lunn to begin baking breads similar to French festival breads, rich brioche-like buns which can be enjoyed with either sweet or savory accompaniments.  These buns quickly became popular and customers would visit the bakery specifically requesting the “Sally Lunn bun”.  Now, this incredibly light bun has earned legendary status around the globe.

So, obviously I had to try it.

And I’m so happy I did.

Because this stuff was good.

And sooo incredibly easy to make.  With absolutely no kneading.  So no messy clean-up.

Uhhh. Winning.

And what was even better than smothering slices in butter and strawberry jam?

Making french toast with the couple-days-old slices.

I’m drooling just thinking about it.

---

Sally Lunn Bread

makes 1 loaf

• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/4 c. warm water
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 6 tbsp. butter, softened
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 c. flour
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
• additional butter to grease the pan

Measure the milk into a small saucepan and warm it over medium-low heat.  Once warm, remove the saucepan from the heat.

Measure the warm water into a small bowl.  Add the yeast and stir.  Then slowly add the warm milk into the yeast and water mixture.

Measure the brown butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl.  Stir together with a wooden spoon until they are creamy.

Crack one egg into butter mixture and beat the mixture.  Then add the second egg and beat the mixture again.

Stir the flour and salt together into a medium bowl.  Stir about 1 cup of the flour mixture into the butter mixture.  Then add 1/3 of the yeast mixture.  Add another cup of flour, and 1/2 of the remaining yeast mixture and mix together until smooth.  Continue adding the flour and yeast in this way, beating until the batter is smooth.

Cover the large mixing bowl with a clean towel and let the batter rise in a warm place for one hour.  When the batter has doubled in size, remove the towel and stir quickly to take out the air.

Using a stick of butter, grease a standard size loaf pan.  Pour the batter into the loaf pan, cover it with a towel, and allow it to rise for an additional 30 minutes, or until it has doubled again in size.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F while the batter rises.

Remove the towel and bake the bread on the center oven rack for 40-45 minutes.

Remove the bread from the oven and using a butter knife, loosen the bread from the sides of the pan.  Turn the pan upside down to remove the bread.  Allow to cool completely before slicing.

 

*While I’ve never been to Bath, England, I have been to Bath, NC and wrote a short blog on how to make the most of your visit.