An egg-free milk bread made using an automatic bread machine. The combination of bread flour and cake flour creates a soft texture, with cold dough handling and multiple fermentation stages producing fine crumb and excellent elasticity.
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1
Install the dough hook into the bread machine's inner pan.
2
To control dough temperature, chill the inner pan for 30 minutes (especially in summer), then zero the scale and add ice cubes.
3
Pour the chilled milk into the inner pan.
4
Add the bread flour in a mound like Mount Fuji, then add the cake flour. Zero the scale again.
5
Place salt, sugar, and yeast in separate corners of the flour to prevent yeast from directly contacting salt and sugar.
6
Place the inner pan in the bread machine, select manual mixing and fermentation, and start the machine.
7
Around 7 minutes of mixing, the dough becomes glossy with slightly rough edges. Pause the machine, add frozen butter cubes, and continue mixing.
8
The butter gradually incorporates into the dough, making it smoother. The finished dough should feel cold to the touch, indicating success.
9
Cover and allow the first fermentation for about 1 hour until the dough doubles in size. If needed, set an additional 20-minute fermentation cycle.
10
Remove the fermented dough and weigh it for reference. Oil the work surface and hands, then turn the dough out. Gently pat to release gas, fold sides inward, and flip so the smooth side faces up.
11
Use both hands to push and stretch the dough to release large bubbles, rotate and repeat until the dough is round. Cover with a damp cloth and rest for about 20 minutes.
12
Weigh the dough; subtract the current pan weight from the original to get dough weight. Remove the dough hook and divide the dough into two equal pieces (approximately 290g each, adjusted by actual weight).
13
Shape each dough piece: gently pat the smooth side, flip and pat again; fold sides to center, flip smooth side up, make figure-8 motions to release gas, rotate and repeat.
14
Place both shaped doughs in the inner pan, maintaining distance to prevent sticking. Cover with damp cloth and rest for 20 minutes.
15
Oil or flour your hands, then use a rolling pin to press from the center and push forward to release gas. Rotate 90 degrees and continue rolling, shaping the dough into an approximately 18cm square.
16
Place smooth side down and form a square. Fold the top edge down and press with your palm; fold the bottom edge up and press. Rotate 90 degrees and keep length around 21cm.
17
Anchor the far end on the work surface. Grab the near end with both hands, press down with fingers and fold. Support the crease with your thumb while fingers help roll up; seal the seam with your fingers.
18
Shape the second dough piece using the same method. Ensure the seams face opposite directions (one up, one down), then place each piece on opposite sides of the pan.
19
Set the bread machine to fermentation mode for 50 minutes. Place the inner pan back in the machine, cover, and start the second fermentation cycle.
20
Once the dough rises to 70-80% full, set the baking mode for approximately 55 minutes, confirm, and start. Allow about 7 minutes for preheating.
21
Beat one egg and take 2 tablespoons of the mixture; dilute with an equal amount of water. While preheating, brush the egg wash from bottom to top on each dough piece, then rotate and brush the other piece.
22
Once preheating is complete, place the pan in the machine and begin baking. Bake for 40-50 minutes depending on desired browning. If too pale, continue baking.
23
Wear oven mitts to remove the pan as it is very hot. Firmly tap the pan three times on the counter, quickly turn out the bread, and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
24
Once slightly cooled, tear open the bread to enjoy. Examine the crumb structure and springiness to evaluate the baking results.
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