Novice bread bakers and old pros alike can revel in the satisfaction of achieving bouncy featherlight bread.
Kelsey Hansen
There’s nothing quite like a slice of homemade bread, but what is milk bread?
The trendy bread is known for its light, springy texture and rich, slightly sweet flavor.
Credit:Kelsey Hansen
The concept of making milk bread isn’t new.
Milk bread comes from aroux starterfrom 2000called tangzhong(more on this later).
What Is Milk Bread?
Credit:Carson Downing
What is milk bread’s so-soft texture and whispy pull-apart secret?
Strands of the heated milk andflour pasteknown as tangzhong.
Cooked on thestove top, the starch in the flour retains more moisture, so the rolls (bonus!
Credit:Kelsey Hansen
)stay fresh longeras well.
The only liquid used in milk bread is milk.
In mostyeast bread recipes, the liquid is usually water.
Credit:Kelsey Hansen
There are also no eggs in most yeast breads.
Carson Downing
How to Make Milk Bread
In baking, details matter.
Start with the Right Stuff
What is milk bread made of?
Credit:Kelsey Hansen
It starts with an enriched dough (one that includes eggs, butter, sugar, and honey).
The butter and sweeteners make the rolls tender.Yeast, bread flour, and eggs give the dough structure.
Recipes for milk bread reference the dough should be “tacky.”
When you’ve finished kneading, press your hand on the dough.
For milk bread, a little sticky is good.
Shape Smart
Pinch and pull the dough tight to make a smooth surface.
Turn over and round the dough with your hand, continuing to pinch on the bottom to lighten.
Ready to tackle more homemade bread?
Join the sourdough club by learning tomake your starter, then use it to create beautifully decorated loaves.
