Hot Buttered Popcorn Bread

Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup popcorn, to pop (about 5 c. when popped)
• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 3 3/4 teaspoons yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 5 -6 cups flour
• 1 egg
• 1 pinch sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• cornmeal
• 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Recipe

• 1 grease two 9x5 loaf pans (or use a pizza pan and make it a round loaf).
• 2 pop the popcorn--do not butter!
• 3 whirl the popped corn through the blender, enough to make 2 1/2 cups.(it is very fluffy); set aside.
• 4 in mixing bowl, mix water & yeast; let stand 2-5 minutes to dissolve yeast.
• 5 mix in sugar, oil, butter and salt; blend well.
• 6 add ground popcorn and 3 cups of the flour; mix well. knead with dough hook on slowest speed--6-8 minutes, adding more flour to form a soft, bouncey dough.
• 7 remove dough hook, spray dough ball with cooking spray, cover bowl with large plastic (clear) bag; let rise 60-90 minutes, doubled in volume.
• 8 turn out dough onto lightly floured counter, gently punch down; divide in half and form two loaves; place in greased pans.
• 9 whisk eggie and sugar & salt in a small bowl; brush top of loaves with egg wash (set egg wash aside for later); cover loaves loosely with plastic wrap, rise for 45-60 minutes, doubled in size.
• 10 preheat oven to 375; brush loaves with egg wash, dust with cornmeal (optional).
• 11 set in oven and turn heat down to 350; bake until golden brown for 35-45 minutes.
• 12 pull bread from oven, liberally brush with melted butter; cool in pans for 10 minutes; turn out onto rack.
• 13 slice and eat. yum!
• 14 leftovers: slice and toast. try it with garlic-honey. oh my!