Hokkaido Milk Bread

[huilink]

Hokkaido Milk Bread

I find that people in Spain prefer crusty bread, but I have been craving for some cottony soft sweet bread that is well-liked in Asia (must be my pregnancy!). I found it in this recipe, adapted from Angie's found on http://schneiderchen.de/237Hokkaido-Milky-Loaf.html. My Spanish husband loves it.

Ingredients
(makes 2 loaves)

540 g Bread flour
50 g all-purpose flour
10 g cornflour
10 g Dry active yeast
30 g Milk powder
80 g Sugar
9 g Salt
1 pc Egg
250 g milk
150 g Whipping cream (heavy cream)

Instructions
1. Mix all the ingredients in the TM bowl, 5 sec/speed 3. Remember separate the yeast from salt and sugar to avoid the dehydration.

2. Knead until gluten is fully developed and the dough is elastic, smooth, non-sticky and leave from sides of mixing bowl, 12 mins/  . Place in a bowl and cover with a damp towel and allow the dough to ferment until double in size, about 60 minutes. (I just leave it in a covered bowl in the fridge overnight)

3. Take out the dough and punch down. Divide it into 4 portions. Round up and let rest for about 20 minutes.

4. Roll each dough out and roll up and place in a loaf pan. After shaping, let the dough rise up to 2/3 full. Brush with egg wash or milk. Bake in a preheated 170C/340F oven for about 40 minutes.

Tips
1. 12 mins kneading seems like a long time, but I found it was necessary to achieve the stickiness that the recipe requires.
2. I add some raisins soaked in brandy before rolling up the dough after proofing so I can eat the bread on its own. Chocolate chips would be fantastic too!
3. It keeps well in the fridge, and will taste wonderfully warm and soft again after popping the slices in the microwave for 20 sec, covered in damp kitchen paper.

[Thermomixer]

Firstly congratulations  - when is the baby due?

The bread sounds great.  Wonder if you set the temp to 37 deg to mix, then kneaded for say 3 minutes, let it develop for 1/2 hour in the Thermomix, then knead again for another 3 minutes.  That may help develop the gluten develop ??

Interesting how we crave foods (not only when we are pregnant) from our early years.  They just never seem to be as good as mum/grandma made    I didn't think Asians in general liked milk ?  The few times that I have been to Asia (Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand) we have been told that we smell "milky". 

Spanish bread is certainly crusty, but Tuscan bread is not only dry, but usually has no salt -  I find that hard to enjoy.

Thanks again for sharing.  Good luck with the baby.

[huilink]

That's a good idea, Thermomixer! I will try it next time. Thanks! Baby due in less than 2 months....

It's true that Asians are not big fans of milk products. That's why many of us are lactose intolerant! But this bread doesn't taste of milk at all.

[Shayla]

I expect the reason this is taking so long is that the milk needs to be warm. Usually in milk bread recipes the milk is warmed and then added to the beaten egg then added to the dry ingredients - I then knead for only 3 minutes.

[Thermomixer]

Thanks for the feedback - hope huilink sees it.

[huilink]

Thanks Shayla! Will try it next time!!!

[andiesenji]

Firstly congratulations  - when is the baby due?

Spanish bread is certainly crusty, but Tuscan bread is not only dry, but usually has no salt -  I find that hard to enjoy.

Thanks again for sharing.  Good luck with the baby.

I prepare several rustic breads without salt.   These are mainly used with foods that have sufficient salt and often are dipped into salted oil or topped with olive or pepper tapenade, that is also salty.   Most of these are baked from dough that has been fermented for an extended period, either in my cool pantry or in the fridge, for up to 24 hours.  Salt has an effect on the fermentation, which is the main reason it is omitted - at least during the fermentation period.  Some have salt sprinkled onto the flattened dough prior to it being shaped for the final rise before baking. 

Are you familiar with the Bread-Bakers Digest?   I've been a member of this mailing list for many years and have found tons of obscure information and you can always ask a question.  Costs nothing to join and the archives are extensive, going back nearly 20 years. 

http://www.bread-bakers.com/

[Thermomixer]

Thanks Andie - great site.   I know about the salt impeding yeast development and have always tried to keep it to a minimum, but lots of local sourdough bakers seem to use over 1% !! 

Good idea to have low-salt/salt-free bread for dipping etc - like it.  Guess most Tuscan bread is actually used that way - not for sandwiches.

[andiesenji]

Thanks Andie - great site.   I know about the salt impeding yeast development and have always tried to keep it to a minimum, but lots of local sourdough bakers seem to use over 1% !! 

Good idea to have low-salt/salt-free bread for dipping etc - like it.  Guess most Tuscan bread is actually used that way - not for sandwiches.

Reggie and Jeffrey are lovely, extremely dedicated people.  Over the years they have helped an enormous number of people achieve bread-baking success.
There are a number of professionals on the mailing list, including Peter Reinhart, who, in the past, has requested help in testing recipes from members of the mail list. 

[cookie1]

I made this bread for the latest challenge. I sort of did my own thing with the ingredients.
I put all the liquid ingredients into the bowl, added the yeast and used 37 degrees for about 3 minutes.
I then added all the dry ingredients and kneaded it for 4 minutes. I didn't use any sugar as I don't usually, but this is a personal thing.
The 4 minutes was enough as the bread passed the 'window pain' test.
I placed it into an oiled bowl and let it rise until doubled.
I knocked it down and shaped it, placing it into a large bread tin.
I also cooked it at 200 degrees for about 30 minutes.

I have just removed it from the oven so probably won't cut it until the morning. The dough seems quite rich, so I will be interested in the taste.

[Cornish Cream]

Interesting recipe Cookie.Your loaf looks lovely.I will be interested to hear what it tastes like compared with other breads you have made

[judydawn]

Another beautiful loaf Cookie.

[BeezeeBee]

Looks yum, Cookie!

[achookwoman]

Cookie , lovely.  Will be interested to hear how you like it.

[cookie1]

We love this loaf. Even DH remarked how nice it was. I will definitely make it again. It is a little bit cake like in its texture, but still lovely.