Sourdough Milk Bread
This soft sourdough milk bread is enriched with milk and, egg, and uses a tangzhong method to bring extra softness. This makes 2 loaves.
Ingredients
Levain
- 70 g bread flour
- 70 g water
- 20 g sourdough starter
Tangzhong
- 48 g bread flour
- 240 g whole milk
Dough
- 600 g bread flour
- 200 g whole milk
- 70 g granulated sugar
- 24 g milk powder optional
- 2 large eggs
- 12 g salt
- all the levain from above approx. 140 g active sourdough starter
- 70 g unsalted butter room temperature
Egg wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tbsp water
Instructions
Make the levain
- Mix the flour, water, and starter in a small jar. Cover and leave at room temperature to rise overnight until doubled and bubbly. 70 g bread flour, 70 g water, 20 g sourdough starter
Make the tangzhong
- Whisk the flour and milk together in a small saucepan. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring, until it thickens into a smooth paste. 48 g bread flour, 240 g whole milk
- Scrape it into the mixer bowl and let it cool.
Mix the dough
- Add the flour, cold milk, sugar, milk powder, eggs, salt, and the ripe levain to the tangzhong. Mix to form a shaggy dough. Increase the speed and knead for 5 minutes until smoother. 600 g bread flour, 200 g whole milk, 70 g granulated sugar, 24 g milk powder, 2 large eggs, 12 g salt, all the levain from above
- Add the softened butter in small pieces and knead for around 12-15 minutes until the dough is glossy and elastic and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. 70 g unsalted butter
- Dough strength test: Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then break off a piece and see if it can stretch out really thin without tearing. This is called the windowpane test and is a good way to see that the gluten has developed enough.
Bulk rise
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and let it rise in a warm spot, ideally at 24°C to 26°C / 75°F to 79°F until it has increased by about half. It should feel lighter and puffier. If your room is cold you can create a warm space in a switched off oven with a mug of boiled water in there too. Replace the mug when it cools to keep the space warm and humid but never hot enough to melt the butter. This can take 3-5 hours depending on temperature.
- Chill the dough for around 20 minutes so it is easier to shape.
Shape
- Grease or line two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
- Deflate the dough and pull it onto a floured workspace. Weigh it and divide it into 6 equal pieces. Shape each one into a smooth ball and let them rest for ten minutes.
- Roll each ball into a long oval about 30 cm / 11 inches long. Fold the long sides into the centre, then roll it up from the short end into a neat log. Pinch the seam closed. Place the logs seam side down into a loaf pan, 3 per pan.
Final rise
- Let the logs rise until puffy and doubled in size. Keep them somewhere warm but not too hot, at around 24°C to 26°C / 75°F to 79°F. They should look soft and full and touching. This can take 3-5 hours depending on temperature.
Bake
- Heat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F.
- Mix together the egg and water. Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the loaves with egg wash. 1 large egg, 1 Tbsp water
- Bake for around 35 minutes until they are deeply golden and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from the pans and cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Starter feeding
I feed my starter with 20 g starter, 70 g water, and 70 g flour, then leave it overnight to rise. This works well in my kitchen, but your room temperature might be different. If your space is cooler, the levain may take longer to peak. If it is warmer, it may rise faster. You might need to play around with your own feeding ratios or timing to match how fast your starter ferments in your climate.Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 266kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 7gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 318mgPotassium: 120mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 264IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 2mg
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