Q:What brand of whole wheat flour do you use?
A:Central Milling, as shown in Photo 3. I bought it here in the US, but you can try other brands. Just check the nutrition label when choosing and pick one with high protein content.
Q:That's quite a bit of sugar, not really low-calorie anymore.
A:I will reduce it next time! My next bake will be a bigger challenge because I want to bump the whole wheat up by another 15%. I once baked a 100% whole wheat loaf that turned out like a dense, stocky little brick. Thankfully the high protein in this whole wheat flour kept the crumb decent, even if it was compact. Next time I plan to leave out the condensed milk, keep the sugar as is, and increase the whole wheat to 60%.
Q:My loaf proofs nicely to 80-90% full during the second proof, so why doesn't it rise any further in the oven?
A:Does that happen every time? Check a few things: is your flour high enough in protein, did you mix the dough to full gluten development, and is your oven's bottom heat strong enough? Pick a reliable recipe with strong oven spring and practice with it while keeping your dough temperature low until you get a full windowpane. Since I am in North America, I haven't used domestic Chinese flour brands, so check what other bakers recommend for Pullman loaves. I use Bob's Red Mill bread flour, which I think is also available in China.
Q:If I leave out the sweetened condensed milk, should I add the same weight of milk?
A:Milk is about 88% water while sweetened condensed milk is only around 20% water, so don't swap them 1:1. You will need to scale the liquid down.
Q:Did you use a stand mixer to knead this dough? Is it easy to knead in a bread machine?
A:I use a stand mixer now, though a bread machine actually kneads dough quite well. I used to knead all my doughs in a bread machine until the paddle shaft started leaking dark grease. Even after replacing the machine, the new one had the exact same issue, so I gave up on bread machines. Back when I used one, I would let it knead for 10+ minutes, turn it off before adding the butter, and restart the knead cycle from the beginning. In warm weather, I also chilled the dough in the fridge for a 30-minute autolyse.
Q:Sis, have you started teaching baking? That's awesome! 👏🌟
A:Not at all, I don't have that kind of skill! I just document the bakes that don't flop (I bake way more than I post, and I just had a baguette fail two days ago). Honestly, I have been baking like this for the past ten years, basically every other day or sometimes back to back. I used to post on WeChat Moments occasionally, and now I keep my baking log here on Xiaohongshu. Everyone here is so kind. When people call me 'teacher' I feel a little shy, though I actually used to be a teacher in real life! So I tell myself not to feel guilty and just focus on baking good bread and writing helpful notes.
Q:Can I use a poolish or tangzhong for this?
A:Yes, using a pre-ferment or tangzhong will make the texture even better. I have another post titled 'Poolish 50% Whole Wheat Pullman Loaf' that you can check out.
Q:What size pan in inches is a 450g loaf pan? My 10-inch pan feels way too big and empty.
A:I use a Sanneng 450g golden corrugated Pullman pan, and I am not sure how that converts to inches. You will want to adjust the baking temperature and time based on your own oven and pan size. For example, I normally bake at 180°C for 35 minutes. If a new recipe comes out with a thick crust, I adjust the time first since 180-190°C is my baseline temperature for Pullman loaves, and recipes with different hydration levels mostly just need a slight time tweak. Take your time getting to know how your oven runs.
Q:Sis, have you started teaching baking? That's awesome! 👏🌟
A:Not at all, I don't have that kind of skill! I just document the bakes that don't flop (I bake way more than I post, and I just had a baguette fail two days ago). Honestly, I have been baking like this for the past ten years, basically every other day or sometimes back to back. I used to post on WeChat Moments occasionally, and now I keep my baking log here on Xiaohongshu. Everyone here is so kind. When people call me 'teacher' I feel a little shy, though I actually used to be a teacher in real life! So I tell myself not to feel guilty and just focus on baking good bread and writing helpful notes.
Q:What can I use if I don't have yogurt?
A:You can use milk, just reduce the amount slightly since milk has a higher water content than yogurt.
Q:If I leave out the yogurt, what should I substitute for it? Thank you!
A:Use about 45g of milk, holding back 10g to add slowly as you watch the dough consistency.
Q:Is this made with the direct method?
A:Yes, this is the direct method.
Q:Is this baking temperature for a standard Sanneng Pullman pan?
A:Yes, I use the standard Sanneng golden corrugated Pullman pan. However, every oven runs differently, so start with the temperature you normally use for Pullman loaves in your oven and adjust slightly as needed.
Q:Can I use a poolish or tangzhong for this?
A:Yes, using a pre-ferment or tangzhong will make the texture even better. I have another post titled 'Poolish 50% Whole Wheat Pullman Loaf' that you can check out.
Q:Can I leave out the sweetened condensed milk if I don't have any?
A:Yes, you can just omit the condensed milk.
Q:If I skip the yogurt, how much extra liquid should I add?
A:Thick Greek yogurt is about 70-75% water, so adjust your liquid based on that.
Q:What size pan in inches is a 450g loaf pan? My 10-inch pan feels way too big and empty.
A:I use a Sanneng 450g golden corrugated Pullman pan, and I am not sure how that converts to inches. You will want to adjust the baking temperature and time based on your own oven and pan size. For example, I normally bake at 180°C for 35 minutes. If a new recipe comes out with a thick crust, I adjust the time first since 180-190°C is my baseline temperature for Pullman loaves, and recipes with different hydration levels mostly just need a slight time tweak. Take your time getting to know how your oven runs.
Q:Is it okay to skip the yogurt?
A:If you skip the yogurt, just increase the other liquid accordingly.
Q:Is this whole wheat flour a high-protein whole wheat bread flour or regular medium-protein whole wheat flour?
A:It is a high-protein whole wheat flour with 14% protein.
Q:What brand of whole wheat flour is this?
A:I used Central Milling medium-coarse whole wheat flour for this loaf.
Q:Do you leave the lid off when proofing the loaf inside the oven?
A:Yes, I leave it uncovered during proofing so the dough can absorb the humidity.
Q:My loaf proofs nicely to 80-90% full during the second proof, so why doesn't it rise any further in the oven?
A:Does that happen every time? Check a few things: is your flour high enough in protein, did you mix the dough to full gluten development, and is your oven's bottom heat strong enough? Pick a reliable recipe with strong oven spring and practice with it while keeping your dough temperature low until you get a full windowpane. Since I am in North America, I haven't used domestic Chinese flour brands, so check what other bakers recommend for Pullman loaves. I use Bob's Red Mill bread flour, which I think is also available in China.
Q:I made one before and it didn't rise.
A:What is the protein content of your whole wheat flour? And did you mix the dough all the way to the full windowpane stage?
Q:Can I replace the yogurt with milk? Will it affect the final texture?
A:You can swap it, and there will just be a slight difference in texture. Give it a try! Just remember not to replace it 1:1 since milk has more water.
Q:How long does the proofing normally take?
A:Proofing times vary quite a bit depending on the yeast. I notice many bakers here proof much faster than I do, especially those using fresh compressed yeast. Mine takes a while, and the second proof usually takes around 100 minutes to reach 80-90% full.
