Milk bread is a soft and fluffy bread known for its tender crumb and slightly sweet flavor. It’s a versatile bread that can be enjoyed on its own, used for sandwiches, or as a base for toast.
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups (400g) bread flour
- 3 tablespoons (45g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon (6g) salt
- 1 tablespoon (10g) instant yeast
- 1 cup (240ml) warm milk
- 1/4 cup (60ml) warm water
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons (55g) unsalted butter, softened
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the warm milk and warm water.
- Add the milk mixture and the egg to the dry ingredients. Mix until a rough dough forms.
- Add the softened butter to the dough and knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes. You can knead by hand or use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment.
- First Rise:
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth.
- Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
- Shape the Dough:
- Punch down the risen dough to release the air.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it into four equal pieces.
- Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten into a rectangle.
- Fold the sides of the rectangle towards the center and roll up into a log. Repeat for the remaining pieces.
- Second Rise:
- Place the shaped dough logs into a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let the dough rise again until it has doubled in size and is just peeking over the top of the pan, about 1 hour.
- Bake:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
- If the top is browning too quickly, you can cover it with aluminum foil halfway through baking.
- Cool:
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Enjoy your delicious homemade milk bread!
