• Chef’s notes
• Details
• Ingredients
• Directions

§Chef’s notes

IMO this one is easy to over proof. In my house I needed to proof it for half the recommended time that the recipe firs suggests. Like all bread just keep an eye on it while proofing and use your best judgment

Milk powder is optional. I’ve made it with and without and both turn out well. The milk powder makes it a bit more creamy IMO.

§Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 45 minutes + 4 hours hrs proofing
• 🍳 Cook time: 40 minutes

§Ingredients

• For the Tangzhong
• 60 mL water ¼ cup
• 60 mL milk ¼ cup
• 23 g bread flour 2 tbsp
• For the Milk Bread
• Tangzhong room temperature
• 120 mL milk ½ cup, lukewarm
• 7 g active dry yeast 2 – 2 ¼ tsp
• 50 g sugar ¼ cup
• 15 g dry milk powder 2 tbsp
• 1 egg
• 350 g bread flour about 2 ⅔ cups, spoon and leveled
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 58 g unsalted butter softened, 4 tbsp / ½ stick

§Directions

1. Tangzhong:
2. Place the water in a small saucepan. Add the bread flour and whisk until you have a smooth mix with no lumps. Add the rest of the milk and whisk to combine.
3. Heat over medium heat while whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. The resulting mixture should have a thick, pudding-like consistency.
4. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and then cover with plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic wrap is touching the surface of the tangzhong to prevent a skin from forming on top.
5. Allow the tangzhong to cool to room temperature
6. Milk bread dough:
7. In your mixing bowl, place the lukewarm milk and dissolve about 1 tsp of the sugar in the liquid. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and stir gently to mix. Allow the milk + yeast mixture to stand for about 10 – 20 minutes until the yeast is activated. The mixture should become bubbly and frothy on the surface.
8. Once the yeast is activated, add the milk powder (if using), the rest of the sugar, tangzhong, the egg, flour, and finally the salt.
9. Using a spatula, mix the dough to combine the ingredients and to help form a scraggly dough.
10. With the dough hook attached to your mixer, knead the dough for about 5 minutes on a low speed (speed 2 or 3). The dough will be very sticky and stick to the sides, but continue mixing and the dough will start to come together.
11. After 5 minutes of kneading, add the butter in 3 – 4 additions, mixing for about 20 seconds in between. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl to make sure the dough mixes well.
12. Once all the butter is incorporated into the dough, turn up the speed to 4 – 5 (medium speed) and knead for a further 5 – 7 minutes. Scrape the bowl once or twice while kneading.
13. The dough should become smooth, satiny and pull off cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
14. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and shape the dough into a ball. Then place the dough back in the mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
15. Keep the bowl in a warm place and allow the dough to double in size (about 1 – 2 hours, depending on the weather/ambient room temperature).
16. When the dough has proofed in a warm place, you can transfer it to the fridge for a couple of hours just to make it a little easier to handle. THIS IS AN OPTIONAL STEP.
17. Alternatively, place the bowl in the fridge and let it slow proof for about 12 hours. The dough will also be easy to handle when chilled.
18. Once the dough is proofed and you’re ready to shape the dough, prepare the loaf pan. Butter 1 – 4.5 x 8.5 inch loaf pan and dust the pan with flour. If making dinner rolls, butter a 9 or 8 inch square cake pan, and dust the sides with flour. Set aside until needed.
19. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press all the excess air out of the dough.
20. From here on out the second proofing is up to you. If you want roll divide the dough into rough balls and set on a banking sheet or casserole pan for proofing. If you want a loaf use a loaf pan etc……
21. When its ready to bake Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C. Once preheated, AND the bread is proofed, brush the top of the bread dough with a milk wash (for a more matte crust), or an egg wash (for a glossy crust). Bake in the preheated oven for 30 – 35 minutes (for the loaf), or 20 – 30 minutes (for the bread rolls). If the bread starts to caramelize too much in the oven, place a piece of foil over the surface of the bread to prevent it from burning.
22. Remove the loaf pan / baking pan from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes.
23. Turn the dough out onto a wire rack and let it cool down further.
24. This bread is easier to slice when at room temperature, but can be enjoyed warm too.