Description

This soft & fluffy sourdough milk bread features irresistible flavor and simple prep with key ingredients like ripe starter, milk, and butter. Perfect for sandwiches or enjoying with a spread!

Ingredients

Scale

15 g ripe starter
15 g sugar
80 g all-purpose flour
40 g warm water
25 g all-purpose flour
120 g milk
all of the sweet stiff starter
all of the tangzhong
300 g all-purpose flour
125 g milk (2% or whole, room temperature)
30 g softened butter
30 g sugar
1 tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
1 egg (room temperature)
10 g milk powder (optional)

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Instructions

Make the sweet stiff starter by combining 15 g ripe starter, 80 g flour, 15 g sugar, and 40 g warm water in a small bowl. Knead for 2–3 minutes until well mixed. Let ferment at 78–85 °F until it peaks, about 5–6 hours.
For convenience, prepare the sweet stiff starter the night before, allowing it to rise until 75% expanded, then refrigerate overnight. Let come to room temperature the next day and allow to finish rising until peaked before proceeding to make the dough.
Ferment the starter at 78–85°F until fully peaked, which should take around 6 hours. Ensure it stays warm for optimal yeast activity, which encourages a good rise without sourness.
For the tangzhong, whisk together 120 g milk and 25 g flour in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until thickened into a custard-like paste. Allow to cool slightly before use.
In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, sweet stiff starter, tangzhong, egg, sugar, butter, salt, milk, and optional milk powder to make the final dough.
Mix on low (‘stir”) speed for 1–2 minutes until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Increase mixer speed to 4 (medium) for 4 minutes to develop the gluten structure.
Reduce to speed 2 and knead for 6-8 minutes until the dough forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the bowl sides.
Transfer the dough to a lightly wet surface and perform a few slap-and-folds to shape into a smooth ball.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let proof in a warm area until doubled in size, about 3-4 hours.
After proofing, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 or 3 equal pieces.
Preshape each piece into a ball, cover, and rest for 20-30 minutes.
Lightly flour your work surface and the tops of the dough balls. Roll each piece out to about ⅓ inch thick, then fold the edges toward the center to create a rectangle. Flatten gently to about ½ inch and roll into a log, sealing the seam as you go.
Place each shaped piece into a greased 1 lb Pullman loaf pan, rolling or tucking edges neatly.
Cover and proof in a warm spot until the dough nearly reaches the top of the pan.
Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) about 15 minutes before baking.
Lightly brush the tops of the dough with milk, avoiding drip-down the sides to prevent sticking.
Bake for 28-30 minutes or until the crust appears golden brown.
Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing loaves, then cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes

Keep the sweet stiff starter and final dough at a minimum of 78 °F for best results.
If your ingredients are cold, you may use the tangzhong while warm to help stabilize the dough temperature for fermentation.
For easier removal of the loaves, use a silicone bench scraper to loosen the sides before releasing.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 180
Sugar: 4 g
Sodium: 180 mg
Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 27 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 4 g
Cholesterol: 30 mg