Basic Milk Bread Recipe

Ingredients

For the Poolish (Preferment)

• 3/4 cup AP flour
• 1/2 cup whole milk, lukewarm (~90F)
• 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast

For the Dough

• All of the poolish
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 cup whole milk, lukewarm (~90F)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup honey
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt

For the Egg Wash

• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp milk

Make the Poolish the Night Before

In a medium bowl, mix the poolish ingredients (AP flour, lukewarm milk, and instant yeast) until no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl and let it ferment at room temperature for at least 8 hours, or overnight. The finished poolish will be bubbly, expanded, and have a distinctly sweet, yeasty aroma.

Mix and Knead the Dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the finished poolish with all the dough ingredients: bread flour, whole milk, heavy cream, honey, softened butter, and salt.

Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase the speed to medium and knead for about 10-12 minutes. This is a very soft, sticky dough; it should clear the sides of the bowl but still stick to the bottom. Avoid the temptation to add too much extra flour.

First Rise

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover it tightly, and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

Shape and Final Proof

Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.

Gently deflate the risen dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Press it into a rectangle and roll it up into a tight log. Place the log seam-side down in the prepared loaf pan.

Cover the pan loosely and let it proof for another hour, or until the dough has risen about 1 inch above the rim of the pan.

Bake the Bread

About 30 minutes before the proofing is done, preheat your oven to 375F.

In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of milk to create an egg wash. Gently brush the top of the risen loaf with the egg wash.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the crust is a deep, glossy golden brown and the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190F.

Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

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Basic Milk Bread

This recipe produces an incredibly soft and tender sandwich bread. The key to its flavor and texture is the poolish, a type of preferment that develops overnight. The final dough is very soft and enriched with butter and cream, so it needs the support of a loaf pan to rise properly.

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Rest + Proof Time 12 hours hours

Total Time 12 hours hours 55 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

For the Poolish (Preferment)

• 3/4 cup AP flour
• 1/2 cup whole milk ~90F, lukewarm
• 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast

For the Dough

• All of the poolish
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 cup whole milk ~90F, lukewarm
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup honey
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
• 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt

For the Egg Wash

• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp milk

Method

• Mix flour, lukewarm milk, and yeast for poolish. Cover and ferment 8-12 hours at room temp until bubbly.
• Combine poolish with remaining dough ingredients in stand mixer with dough hook.
• Mix on low until shaggy, then medium speed 10-12 minutes until soft, sticky dough forms.
• Transfer to oiled bowl, cover and rise 1-1.5 hours until doubled.
• Shape dough into log, place in greased 9×5 loaf pan.
• Let rise 1 hour until dough is 1 inch above pan rim.
• Preheat oven to 375F.
• Brush loaf with egg wash (beaten egg + 1 tbsp milk).
• Bake 30-35 minutes until deep golden and internal temp reaches 190F.
• Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Dough will be sticky – resist adding extra flour. For best results, use weight measurements if available.