Description
This Soft & Fluffy Sourdough Milk Bread is a delightful blend of flavors and textures, perfect for any meal. With its tender crumb and sweet tang, this homemade loaf uses a unique tangzhong method to elevate your baking experience. Ideal for sandwiches or enjoying fresh from the oven, it’s a must-try for anyone who enjoys baking bread at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 15 g ripe starter
- 80 g flour
- 15 g sugar
- 40 g warm water
- 120 g milk
- 25 g flour
- flour (for mixing)
- egg
- sugar
- butter
- salt
- optional milk powder
Instructions
- Make the sweet stiff starter by combining 15 g ripe starter, 80 g flour, 15 g sugar, and 40 g warm water in a bowl. Knead for 2–3 minutes until mixed and ferment at 78–85 °F for about 5–6 hours, or prepare it the night before and refrigerate overnight.
- Cover and ferment the starter at 78–85°F until it peaks, around 6 hours, ensuring it is airy and expanded.
- For tangzhong, whisk together 120 g milk and 25 g flour in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it thickens into a paste. Allow it to cool slightly.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, sweet stiff starter, tangzhong, egg, sugar, butter, salt, milk, and optional milk powder.
- Mix on low speed for 1–2 minutes until combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Then increase speed to medium for 4 minutes to develop gluten.
- Reduce speed to low and knead for 6–8 minutes until a smooth ball forms that pulls away from the bowl.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly wet surface, perform slap-and-folds to shape it, then place in a greased bowl, cover, and proof until doubled in size (3-4 hours).
- Once proofed, turn the dough onto a floured surface, divide it into 2 or 3 equal pieces, shape into balls, cover, and rest for 20–30 minutes.
- Roll each ball into a rectangle, fold edges to the center, flatten to ½ inch, roll into logs, and pinch seams to seal.
- Place the logs in greased Pullman loaf pans, rolling or tucking the edges to fit neatly.
- Cover and proof until the dough almost reaches the top of the pans.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) 15 minutes before baking.
- Brush the tops with milk without letting it drip down the sides.
- Bake for 28-30 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Ensure the starter and dough are kept warm, ideally no less than 78 °F for optimal yeast activity.
If having trouble removing the loaves from the pan, use a silicone scraper to help release them easily.
The dough can be prepared in advance and refrigerated to fit your schedule.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 30mg