White Milk Loaf

This milk bread is made using the Poolish method which makes it softer and flakier with a very nice crust. When you pull the bread apart from the inside looks like feathers. With a touch of milk, this bread is really delicious. Poolish is a type of pre-fermented (made with a one part flour to one part water ratio by weight) yeast.

The longer the fermentation time, the less yeast should be used. In a mixing bowl, add 50 grams of bread flour together with 1 gram of yeast and 50ml of water then stir into a batter then cover with plastic wrap and let it ferment at room temperature for 5 to 18 hours, the fermentation depends on the room temparature and the amount of yeast used.

You will know it is ready by seeing bubbles on the surface of the batter. In a bowl of a stand mixer, add 210 grams of flour, 15 grams milk powder, 40 grams sugar, 3 grams dry yeast and 2 grams of salt then add a medium-sized egg and pour the poolish and milk.

Start mixing on low speed for 2 minutes then increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for 10 minutes or until the dough is soft and not sticky. Add 25 grams of softened butter to the dough and mix it on medium speed for 8 minutes or until the dough is very soft and the butter is well mixed with the dough. Lightly oil a clean bowl and place the dough in then cover with a plastic wrap and let it sit for one hour or until the dough has doubled in volume.

Bring the proofed dough to the work surface and lightly roll it from one end to the other and place the dough in a lightly greased 450 g baking pan. Cover the dough in the pan and let it proof again for the second time until it doubles in the pan then bake in 375 degrees Fahrenheit preheated oven for 30 minutes.

If the top of the bread starts to brown quickly, cover it with a foil to prevent further browning. Once out of the oven, brush the top with melted butter then let the bread cool completely before serving it. Place this bread in an airtight container once cooled and it will not go stale for 2 days at room temparature.