Description
This classic Milk Bread recipe yields a soft, fluffy, and slightly sweet loaf perfect for sandwiches, toast, or enjoying on its own. Made with simple ingredients like milk, flour, butter, and yeast, this bread has a tender crumb and golden crust, achieved through careful kneading and two rises before baking.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (500g)
- 1/4 cup sugar (50g)
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (7g)
- 1 tsp salt (6g)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk (240ml), warmed
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (60g)
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a bowl, combine the warm milk and sugar. Sprinkle the active dry yeast over the top and let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes frothy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- Combine Dough: Pour the frothy yeast mixture and melted butter into the well of the dry ingredients. Mix together until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead Dough: Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic, developing gluten and structure.
- First Rise: Place the kneaded dough into a greased bowl, cover it with a clean cloth or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size, approximately 1 hour.
- Shape Loaf: Punch down the risen dough to release air, then flatten and roll it tightly into a loaf shape.
- Second Rise: Place the shaped loaf into a greased loaf pan, cover again, and let it rise until nearly doubled in size, about another hour.
- Bake Bread: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the loaf for 30-35 minutes until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the bread from the oven, let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Warm the milk to about 100-110°F (38-43°C) to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
- Ensure your butter is melted but not hot to avoid harming the yeast.
- For a shiny crust, brush the top of the loaf with melted butter after baking.
- Use a kitchen thermometer to check the internal temperature of the bread; it should be around 190°F (88°C) when fully baked.
- The bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
