As earlier stated, I am enjoying what I have dubbed the #summeroffreedom.  

This freedom is not just from our children but, also for our children.  At camp they are free to be children away from the distractions of our technology focused lives (guilty as charged), nagging parents, social and educational pressures. They are truly free to enjoy simple summer fun. 

I have created a #summeroffreedom bucket list to cover in the next four weeks. It is busy, busy, busy with loads of travel to the mountains, the beach and our New England tour. I have 4 bucket list restaurants to try among other activities in Charlotte too.  Tonight we enjoyed the first farm to table restaurant, Kindred, in Davison , NC.  This restaurant has had loads of national praise and press. Now, I know why!

It may be the best meal I have ever experienced…no exaggeration. The cocktails, the design, the food, the bread, the dessert, the pickles.

It was all beyond my wildest expectations. I found the heavenly Milk Bread recipe for you to enjoy. 

Milk Bread

At Kindred, this dough is used to make the pan of warm pull-apart bread that’s gifted to each table, in addition to the house’s burger buns, split-top rolls, and sandwich bread. It’s as versatile as it is forgiving.

Ingredients
Servings: Makes 6 rolls, one 9X5″ loaf, or 12 split-top buns
5⅓ cups bread flour, divided, plus more for surface
1 cup heavy cream
⅓ cup mild honey (such as wildflower or alfalfa)
3 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
2 tablespoons active dry yeast (from about 3 envelopes)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
3 large eggs
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Flaky sea salt (optional)

Preparation
Cook ⅓ cup flour and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a thick paste forms (almost like a roux but looser), about 5 minutes. Add cream and honey and cook, whisking to blend, until honey dissolves.

Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and add milk powder, yeast, kosher salt, 2 eggs, and 5 cups flour. Knead on medium speed until dough is smooth, about 5 minutes. Add butter, a piece at a time, fully incorporating into dough before adding the next piece, until dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic, about 4 minutes.


Coat a large bowl with nonstick spray and transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

If making rolls, lightly coat a 6-cup jumbo muffin pan with nonstick spray. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and divide into 6 pieces. Divide each piece into 4 smaller pieces (you should have 24 total). They don’t need to be exact; just eyeball it. Place 4 pieces of dough side-by-side in each muffin cup.

If making a loaf, lightly coat a 9×5″ loaf pan with nonstick spray. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and divide into 6 pieces. Nestle pieces side-by-side to create 2 rows down length of pan.


If making split-top buns, lightly coat two 13×9″ baking dishes with nonstick spray. Divide dough into 12 pieces and shape each into a 4″-long log. Place 6 logs in a row down length of each dish.

Let shaped dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size (dough should be just puffing over top of pan), about 1 hour.

Beat remaining egg with 1 tsp. water in a small bowl to blend. Brush top of dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until bread is deep golden brown, starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, and is baked through, 25–35 minutes for rolls, 50–60 minutes for loaf, or 30–40 minutes for buns. If making buns, slice each bun down the middle deep enough to create a split-top. Let milk bread cool slightly in pan on a wire rack before turning out; let cool completely.


Do Ahead: Bread can be baked 5 days ahead; store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

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