Fluffy Milk Bread

This is another recipe I found on Food52. I am a major food dork and watch YoutTube videos from Food52, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart every night after my kids are in bed-lol! This recipe comes from a restaurant called Kindred in North Carolina (I’ve never been but it seems great based on the bread) and it makes the fluffiest bread. If you know what to look for in the stages of kneading the dough and allow it to rest for the appropriate amount of time, then it will turn out better/as good as your favorite bakery bread! It’s great toasted with some jam or really awesome for french toast (recipe to come).

My advice when baking and cooking, but especially baking, is to measure out all of the ingredients ahead of time. This is known as mise en place, which is French for “everything in its place.” You will leave little room for error if you have everything ready, measured and where it needs to be before you start!

Source: Food52: Catherine Margaret O’Donnell (Kindred Restaurant)

Adapted by: Tierney Larson

Your mise en place:

5 1/3 cups divided *read below (600g+45g) Bread Flour

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup mild honey (such as wildflower or clover)

3 tbl non fat dry milk powder

2 tbl active dry yeast

2 tbl Kosher Salt

3 large eggs, *divided

4 tbl (57g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 6 pieces

non-stick spray

Flakey sea salt (for the top)

*5 cups flour in one bowl, and then 1/3 for the first step, *eggs you will need 2 in the recipe and 1 for brushing over the top before baking

OK so…

Have your heavy cream and honey measured out and nearby you. In a small saucepan, add 1 cup of water and 1/3 cup of flour and cook; whisking constantly over medium heat. Whisk until it thickens into almost the consistency of a roux-but looser- about 5 minutes. Add the honey and cream; whisk and cook for an additional minute until honey is dissolved. Take off the heat and whisk in the milk powder until no lumps remain.

Pour the mixture into a stand mixer bowl, fitted with a dough hook attachment. Add the remaining 5 cups of flour, salt, yeast, and 2 large eggs and knead on medium speed until dough is smooth; about 5 minutes. In the meantime, get your butter nearby.

After dough is smooth, add the butter in one piece at a time, waiting until it is fully incorporated before adding the next piece. (The dough might look slack for a minute when you first add it, but don’t worry it will come back together)

When all the butter is added, knead the dough for about 4 minutes more or until it is smooth, shiny and elastic.

Spray a large bowl with non-stick spray and add the dough. Let it rest covered in a draft free warm spot for about an hour or until doubled in size.

Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and choose your destiny below:

For Rolls: Lightly spray a 6 cup jumbo muffin tin with non-stick spray, divide the dough into 6 pieces, then divide each piece again into 4. Shape the pieces into balls by gently pulling the top over itself and tucking it underneath (you will have 24 pieces). Nestle 4 pieces side by side in each muffin tin.

If making Loaves: Spray two 9x5 inch loaf pans with non-stick spray and divide the dough into 3, then divide each piece into 4, for a total of 12 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball by gently pulling the top over itself and tucking it underneath. Nestle 6 total in each pan by making 2 rows of balls down the length of each pan.

Whatever you choose, lightly spray some cling wrap with non-stick spray and cover. Let rise for about an hour or until the dough starts to puff up above the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350F

Whisk the remaining egg with 1 tsp of water and using a pastry brush, brush the top of the loaves or rolls. Then, top with flaky salt.

For the loaves: bake for about 30-35 minutes. The top will be a deep golden color, and it will be pulling slightly away from the sides of the pan. The interior temp. will be around 190F when done.

For the Rolls: bake for about 15-20 minutes. The top will be a deep golden color, and they will be pulling slightly away from the sides of the pan. The interior temp. will be around 190F when done.