I’ve been fiddling with this recipe quite a bit this year, trying to keep it dairy free but similar in taste and texture to the orignal, and it’s my absolute favorite bread for sandwiches. Even when the results come out a bit wonky!
(P.S. - This bread machine cost me $5 at the thrift store and it’s probably the best $5 I’ve ever spent. If you can’t afford a bread machine but really want one, go thrifting! Who knows, you might luck out like I did.)
Sour Cream Bread - 1½ lb Loaf page 53 of The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook by Beth Hensperger [amazon link]
Ingredients: ½ cup + 1 Tbsp Water 1 cup Sour Cream* 3 ½ cups Bread Flour 1 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar 2 tsp Gluten (no offence to author, but definitely optional) 1 ¼ tsp Salt 2 tsp SAF Yeast OR 2 ½ tsp Bread Machine Yeast
*Vegan Variation for Sour Cream: 8 oz Kite Hill Cream Cheese ½ tsp Lemon Juice ¼ tsp Apple Cidar Vinegar 1 Tbsp Water
Instructions: 1.) To create “sour cream,” in a medium sized bowl mix together Cream Cheese, Lemon Juice, Apple Cidar Vinegar, and 1 tablespoon Water until consistency is smooth 2.) Place all ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions, with the water and “sour cream” put in first, and adding the dry ingredients in on top. 3.) Set crust on Medium and program for the Basic cycle; press Start. 4.) When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.
Notes: The cream cheese concoction used in this recipe is drier and thicker than normal Sour Cream, so you will almost certainly have to add another tablespoon of Water while the bread is mixing, and scrape the sides down to help the dough come together. I also like to center the bread after the last Punch Down to help prevent over-rising, which this variation of the bread is prone to. If it does over-rise, don’t be afraid to gently press back the dome a bit right before baking begins. I promise, even though the recipe sounds a little finicky, the results are well worth it.
