Monday, August 23, 2010

A perfect loaf

Ever since I got this  I've been trying to make a loaf of bread when ever we run out of bread. I've been really satisfied with the taste and texture of my bread but I've not had very good luck making a PERFECT square bread with this.
My first few attempts using my Pullman bread pan. I did not modify the recipes enough so that it has enough dough to rise to the top to make a PERFECT loaf. I tried using my Pullman pan every time I needed to make a loaf of bread for the last 3-4 times and every time it was a disappointment.  Hubby said that he thought when I bought this pan he would get a perfect shaped and tasty homemade bread :P.
 Since I'm me pretty suborn I tried making a few loafs of bread with different recipe but the outcome was not what I wanted. Anyway I was blog hopping one day and I came along My Baking Cottage's blog and saw that she managed to make a PERFECT loaf of bread with a recipe she got from Happy Home Baker I've tried baking cakes from her recipe before and I thought why not try it.


My very first PERFECT shape and taste yummy loaf using my Pullman Pan



 Homemade Milk loaf adapted from here original recipe from Happy Home Baking

Ingredients:
200 g fresh milk (Original recipe calls for 216g)
53 g egg (I used 1 medium size egg) 
40 g caster sugar (Original recipe calls for 38g)
7 g salt
375 g bread flour
6 g instant yeast
58 g unsalted butter
Method:
  1. Place milk, egg, followed by caster sugar, salt, bread flour and yeast into the pan of the bread machine. Set to Dough function. Add in the butter after 8 ~ 10 mins into the kneading cycle. Continue to let the bread machine do the kneading. Stop the machine after the kneading cycle. (This is usually after 20 minutes)
  2. Re-start the machine and let the dough knead for another 10mins before stopping the machine (I followed Happy Home baker to let it knead for extra 10 minutes). I checked from time to time to also make sure that I've achieved the Window Pane Stage.
  3. Remove dough from the bread pan, let it proof in room temperature in a mixing bowl, covered with cling wrap for 60 minutes.
  4. Remove dough and punch out the gas. Divide dough into 3 equal portion. Roll and shape into balls. Let the doughs rest and relax for 15 mins.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, flatten one dough and roll out into a longish shape. Roll up the dough swiss-roll style. Do the same for the two remaining doughs.
  6. Flatten the rolled-up dough and re-roll out again into a long rectangular shape. Roll up tightly, swiss-roll style for the second time. Do the same for the two remaining doughs.
  7. Place doughs in lightly greased bread tin/pan. Let the doughs proof for the second time, until it fills up 80% of the tin/pan.
  8. Bake at pre-heated oven at 180 ~ 190 deg C/350 deg F for 15minutes. Remove cover and bake for about 15min (depending on how brown you want your crust to be)
  9. Unmould the bread immediately when removed from the oven. Let cool completely before slicing.
Note: If you want to make it by hand, combine all the ingredients together in a big mixing bowl (do remember to separate the salt and sugar from the yeast), mix together using a wooden spoon or an electric beater (dough hook); add in the butter after all the ingredients are well mixed. Knead using a beater or by hand until the dough becomes soft, elastic and had passed the window pane test before first proofing.


 I was extremely excited as soon as I removed the cover to continue baking a little more so that my bread is slightly brown. I quickly text hubby and told him about my success! 



I told hubby that he could have his very own PERFECT little loaf like store bought. He loved it so much that the next night he ate almost 5 slices for dinner! Hubby and I are hoping that I can continue having success with my bread from now on.  I told hubby that he did not waste a single cent and it was a good investment on his part to get the pan with lid because now he does not need to eat store bought with a ton of preservative bread!

2 comments:

2crazydogs said...

Wow that is indeed a perfect loaf of bread. Good job, Melissa! It's true, store bought bread is just not good with all the junk in it. I still remember my sister used to bake bread when we were all still living under one roof at our parents'. I dare not venture into baking our own bread yet....need to get a bread machine frist I reckon! :)

Sunshine said...

Thanks Dawn,
I never use to like my homemade bread coz it taste hard the next day! Not anymore!
I know u can knead the dough w/o a breadmaker too but I don't think I wanna do that. I'll get a use breadmaker just to knead the dough if this one ever try.
U really should venturing into bread making is a great sense of accomplishment especially when u see the hubby enjoying it!

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