This loaf is richer than most white breads. It’s got butter, egg and milk, both whole and powdered. These ingredients add to the bread'ss full flavor and lovely texture. They also contribute to making the bread toast more beautifully and hold its tastiness under heat.
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THE DAILY BREAD: WHITE BREAD EDITION
Adapted from BAKING WITH DORIE
GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE YOU START
The yeast: Once I discovered instant yeast, it became my go-to. There’s no need to “proof” instant yeast, meaning you don’t have to dissolve it in warm water and let it stand before incorporating it into your dough. Instead, the yeast goes in with the flour, no special treatment needed. I usually use Saf, Fleischmann’s or Red Star instant yeast. If you want to use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, you can make a direct one-to-one substitution; follow the proofing directions on the packet.
The powdered milk: There’s not much of it, but just as it did in my recipe for no-churn ice cream, the powdered milk improves the texture; with bread, it even helps the rise. You can use either whole or nonfat dried milk.
The glaze: Finishing your bread with a glaze before you send it into the oven is optional, but it will give you nice color. If you’d like the top of your bread to be soft, glaze it with melted butter; if you’d like a firmer top crust, glaze it with egg.
A WORD ON MIXING AND PATIENCE: Like all yeast breads, this one takes patience. The dough must be mixed for a while—this is a job for a stand mixer with a dough hook (although you could tackle it with a wooden spoon and stamina). And it must rise three times. At each step, the dough progresses at its own rate and you mustn’t rush it—a verity of yeast and a particular pleasure of baking.
Makes 1 loaf
INGREDIENTS
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons; 2 ounces; 57 grams) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, softened, plus extra for the bowl and the top of the dough
3 cups (408 grams) all-purpose flour, plus a few tablespoons more if needed
3 tablespoons powdered milk (see above)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast, such as Saf, Fleischmann’s or Red Star (see above)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup (240 ml) milk, at room temperature
Melted butter or 1 egg, lightly beaten with a splash of cold water, for glazing (optional; see above)
DIRECTIONS
Butter a container with a capacity of at least 3 quarts or a large bowl. Have a tablespoon or so of extra softened butter at hand.
Put the flour, powdered milk, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and stir to blend. Stir in the yeast. Drop in the pieces of butter and stir until they’re coated with flour. Beat the egg into the milk and pour the mixture into the bowl. Attach the bowl to the mixer stand and fit it with the dough hook.
Start mixing the ingredients together at low-medium speed. It will only take a couple of minutes for the hook to pick up everything and pull it together into a messy mass.
Give the bowl a scrape and then turn the speed up to medium to begin kneading the dough. Knead until the dough is smooth and cleans the sides of the bowl, 8 to 10 minutes. Scrape the hook and bowl a few times while you’re working. When the dough is properly kneaded, it will be smooth and have a lovely sheen; it will also be a bit tacky.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead it by hand to bring it together—sprinkle it with a spoonful or two of flour if it’s sticking. Shape the dough into a ball, place the ball seam side down in the buttered container or bowl and rub a little butter over the top of the dough.
FOR THE FIRST RISE: Drape a clean kitchen towel over the container. Put the dough in a warm place (75 degrees F is ideal) and let it rise until it doubles in volume, about 1 hour.
FOR THE SECOND RISE: Press the dough down, fold it over on itself and shape it into a ball again. Turn it seam side down, cover and allow the dough to double in volume again, 45 to 60 minutes. To test that it’s properly risen, gently press it—if the indent from your fingerprint doesn’t rebound, you’re good to go.
Butter an 8- to 8 1/2-inch loaf pan.
FOR THE THIRD RISE: Turn the dough out onto the work surface, fold it over on itself to deflate it and then press it into an approximately 8-x-6-inch rectangle. Starting from a long side, roll it up as tightly as you can; seal the seam by pinching it.
Place the dough seam side down in the loaf pan, tucking in the ends to fit if necessary. Rub the top of the dough with a little butter, cover the pan with the kitchen towel and return the dough to its warm spot to rise until it comes above the edges of the pan by about 2 inches, 45 to 60 minutes.
GETTING READY TO BAKE: When the dough is almost fully risen, center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 375 degrees F.
If you’d like to glaze the loaf, gently brush some melted butter over the top; this will give you a soft crust. Or, for a firmer top crust, brush with the beaten egg, taking care not to let the glaze drip down between the bread and the sides of the pan, or the egg will glue the dough to the pan and impede your bread’s triumphant rise.
Bake the loaf for 35 to 40 minutes, or until it is golden brown. To test for doneness, turn the bread out and tap the bottom—if it sounds hollow, it’s done. Alternatively, use an instant-read thermometer to check that the bread is about 200 degrees F at its center. Transfer the pan to a rack and let rest for 5 minutes, then turn the bread out onto the rack, invert again and let it cool to room temperature.
[Photo + video: Mary Dodd]
STORING: Wrapped well, the bread will keep for up to 3 days at room temperature or for up to 2 months in the freezer; defrost in its wrapper.
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Thank you very much, sounds like a wonderful flour.
The bread was delicious. I used fresh ground flour from one mighty mill otherwise I followed the recipe exactly.