Milk Loaf

g

Ingredients (yield 2 loaves of bread)
Group A
500g bread flour
40g sugar
30g baker's milk powder
7g Redman instant dry yeast (brown)
2g Bakerin bread improver (4g for other brand)

Group B
15g or 1pc egg yolk
50g whipping cream
121g ice water
171g crushed ice cubes

Group C
8g salt
50g unsalted butter

Directions

• mix all Group A together using low speed for 1min
• add Group B using low speed for 2mins
• add Group C using low speed for 1min and medium speed (setting 3 for KitchenAid mixer or centre level) for 10mins
• check for thin membrane (dough should be shiny and elastic)
• round and rest dough for 10min
• take note to oil surfaces first before working with dough
• weigh dough and divide equally into 2 parts
• take each dough... round and cover in cling wrap and rest for 10mins
• oil working table and roll out dough (punch the air out) into rectangular shape
• roll tightly and pinch dough forward on 'ugly' side
• cut the roll into four and arrange into oiled baking tin (including the lid if using it)
• proof for about 1 hour (put in oven that is not turn on together with a tray of steaming hot water) until the dough is about 90% proofed
• preheat oven at 170 degree celcius for 10-15mins (top bottom heat with fan)
• place loaf tin on tray to hold any oil that may drip out from the loaf tin
• use lower rack and if baking 2 loaves, leave a space between them
• bake open top for 30mins or sandwich loaf for 35mins
• remove from baking tin (inside temperature of bread should be about 97°C) and cool on a rack for about 30mins
• slice using bread knife or just break it apart lah

for colored bread

• after mixing dough for 10min, weigh dough and remove 1/3 of dough
• roll and rest the white dough and add coloring to the 1/3 dough on slow speed for about 2 min until even
• rest for 10min
• roll white dough as base in triangular shape with tip away from you (wider base nearer to you)
• roll the colored dough in similar shape and put it on top of the white dough
• roll down the dough making sure the length is not longer than length of baking tin
• tuck in the whites and put into oiled loaf tin to proof for 1hour (as above)
• follow baking directions as above

milk wash for open top loaf

• (before baking once dough proofed completely) mix equal parts of milk and whipping cream. Gently brush the top of dough. This will give a shiny top after baking.

to freeze dough to bake later

• this can be done right after mixing ingredients for 10mins and dividing the dough into 2 equal parts
• round and keep dough in oiled clingwrap
• should be able to keep around a week
• to bake bread... once defrost, shape dough and let it proof as per instruction above for 1 hour or so before baking

Foodnote

I am always fascinated about bread making though I am not really a big fan of bread hehe. I utilize my $500 Skillsfuture credit to take Basic Breadmaking Module from Sisterscookies Baking Academy. The class I signed up for runs for 5 weekdays every Tuesday from 11am to 4pm. I took advantage of my 5days balance leave from 2016 to take off once a week to play with dough hehe. The session is fun and very informative especially tips on getting and using halal ingredients. However, we have to really practice after class to make the bread and jot our own notes to be good at it. Taking notes is important because the notes from the instructor is really very very basic.

My first weekend practice I didn't use a cake mixer and attempted to knead the dough... yes by hand. What a loooong tedious workout and I was perspiring all over. Not recommended huhu. I put too much water (careless) and didn't divide the dough correctly. I still got bread but just not the right consistency *sob sob*. I hope to improve on my breadmaking skills as much as possible... next time with the help of a cake mixer of course!