Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk, slightly warm (80º – 90ºF)
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3 ¼ cups bread flour, sifted or whisked to aerate
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
Instructions
- Activate yeast and combine wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm milk and sprinkle the instant yeast on top. Stir gently to combine and allow the yeast to activate briefly. Then add the sweetened condensed milk and the lightly beaten egg.
- Add dry ingredients and mix dough: Add the bread flour and fine sea salt to the wet ingredients. Using the dough hook attachment on low speed, mix until ingredients just start to come together. Increase mixer speed to medium-low.
- Knead dough with butter: Gradually add the cubed unsalted butter little by little while continuing to knead. Keep kneading until the butter is fully incorporated and no longer visible. The dough will be slightly sticky and may stick to the bottom or bowl but should not stick to the sides. If dough sticks excessively to the sides, continue kneading or add up to ¼ cup additional flour in small increments. Perform the windowpane test to check if dough is properly kneaded.
- First rise: Shape the dough into a ball with lightly oiled hands to prevent sticking. Place it seam side down into a lightly greased bowl (vegetable oil), cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place (75-80ºF) for 1 ½ to 2 hours until doubled in size.
- Prepare pan and shape dough: Line a loaf pan with parchment paper with an overhang to help with removal. Alternatively, line a 9×13-inch baking pan for rolls. After the dough has risen, gently punch it down onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into three large equal pieces for loaf or 12 pieces (~3 ounces each) for rolls. Shape each piece into a tight ball.
- Second rise: Place dough balls seam side down next to each other in the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 30-40 minutes until the dough reaches the rim of the pan.
- Preheat oven and prepare egg wash: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk to create the egg wash. Gently brush the tops of the dough pieces with this egg wash for a glossy, golden crust.
- Bake the bread: Bake in the preheated oven. For a loaf, bake 22-25 minutes until the tops are a deep golden brown. For rolls, bake 18-20 minutes until golden and cooked through.
- Cool and serve: Remove the bread or rolls from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing or serving.
Notes
- If dough is too sticky, add flour sparingly, 1 tablespoon at a time, to avoid a dense loaf.
- Use room temperature eggs and butter for best incorporation in the dough.
- The windowpane test ensures that gluten is well developed, critical for good bread texture.
- Letting the dough rise in a warm spot ensures proper yeast activity and dough development.
- Covering the dough during rises prevents drying out and crust formation on the dough surface.
- Using an egg wash enhances the bread’s appearance with a shiny, golden crust.
- Let bread cool completely to avoid gummy texture when slicing.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American