Molasses Milk Bread

A soft milk bread with a hint of dark brown sugar fragrance. Love the nice golden colour which the molasses lent to the bread crumb.

Molasses has many health benefits over refined sugar, which include low GI, more antioxidants,  minerals and vitamins, as well as anti-inflammatory property. As I have bought a bottle of molasses recently, these health benefits have driven me into developing new molasses-related recipes. And this definitely includes breads 🍞

Yield: 1 small loaves

Pan size: 17.5x10x9 cm 1 L

Raw dough weight: 428g

1st proofing: overnight, about 14~16 hours

2nd proofing: 60~70 minutes

Baking temperature: Preheat oven to 190℃ for about 10 minutes.  Bake at 190℃ for 8 minutes, reduce the temperature to 180℃, and bake for about 10 minutes, turn off the oven and let the breads bake for another 2 minutes, or till the crust is golden brown.

Ingredients

160g superior bread flour

25g spelt flour

10g raw sugar

5g milk powder

2g instant dry yeast

Pinch of vanillin powder, optional

40g natural yeast/sourdough, 100% hydration*

20g yudane dough^

30g molasses, dissolve in low-fat milk below

90g low-fat milk, cold 

5g whipping cream, cold

25g  cold water, to be added depending on dough condition

3g low sodium salt

10g unsalted butter, softened

* 40g natural yeast can be replaced by 20g of bread flour and 20g of water + 1/8 tsp instant dry yeast. Let the mixture stand for about 1 hour or more till it doubles in volume, before use. You can also keep the mixture in the fridge overnight and thaw it for 1 hour before use.

^ 20g yudane dough is prepared by combining 10g of bread flour with 10g of very hot or boiling water into a sticky dough. Wrap the yudane dough in cling wrap, cool down and refrigerate before use. Use a silicone spatula to scrape out the sticky yudane dough from the cling wrap.

 

Directions:

1. Knead the dough following your preferred method. 

For my method, you can refer to my recipe Yudane Milk Bread. 

2. After kneading the dough to window pane, shape the dough into a ball, and keep in a plastic bag coated with a little cooking oil. Keep in a second plastic bag before keeping the dough in the fridge overnight.

3. In the next day, remove the outer plastic bag, invert the dough, and let the dough thaw at room temperature for about 60 minutes.

4. Flatten the dough to remove most of the trapped air.

Fold in the two wings into a long dough.

Flip over and rest for 15 minutes, Cover the dough while resting.

5. After the 15 minutes rest, roll flat the dough to remove the trapped air.

Flip over and roll flat again.

6. Roll up the dough, from the shorter end, into a Swiss-roll-like.

7. Transfer the dough to a loaf pan brushed with homemade non-stick spread, or butter.

Spray some water over the top, and proof the dough in a cold oven for about 60 to 70 minutes, or till the dough double in size.

60 ~ 70 minutes later 👇

8. Start to preheat the oven to 190℃ for about 10 minutes. 

Cut about 3 floral parchment paper stencils and rest on the top of the dough. Dust some bread flour over the stencils.

Remove the stencil carefully, and dust another light coat of bread flour over.

9. Bake at 190℃ for 8 minutes, reduce to 180℃ for 10 minutes, turn off the oven and let the bread bake for another 2 minutes, or till the top is golden brown.

10. Remove the bread from the hot pan soon after leaving the oven.

Let the bread cool down over a wire rack.

Slice and serve 😋

Turned the stale molasses milk bread into bread pudding. Recipe to be up soon 😉