100% Sponge Hokkaido Milk Loaf ❤️ Rich Double Chocolate

I had leftover egg whites after making egg tarts yesterday, so I mixed a sponge right away to bake a 100% sponge Hokkaido loaf today.

This chocolate Hokkaido loaf uses Feijuan's 100% sponge (Chongzhong) Hokkaido milk loaf formula, with cocoa powder and chocolate chips added to the main dough.

🍞Ingredients: (Makes one 450g Pullman loaf pan)

🎈Sponge (Chongzhong): Bread flour 250g, sugar 8g, instant dry yeast 2g, egg white 18g, milk 80g, heavy whipping cream 70g, butter 5g

🎈Main dough: Egg white 20g (I used 20g whole egg this time, but I recommend sticking with pure egg white, which I explain in my next post), sugar 37g, milk powder 15g, salt 3g, instant dry yeast 1g, cocoa powder 15g, butter 5g, baking chocolate chips 1 handful.

🍞Instructions:

1️⃣The day before, mix the sponge ingredients together. You don't need to knead it smooth; it will be a fairly stiff dough. Ferment at room temperature for about 1 hour, then refrigerate for 12 to 17 hours.

2️⃣The next day, tear the sponge into small pieces and combine with all main dough ingredients except the butter and chocolate chips. Mix in a stand mixer until it reaches the thick membrane stage (medium gluten development). Add the butter and mix until it reaches the full windowpane stage (thin, translucent membrane). Finally, add the chocolate chips and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Never use medium or high speed once the chips are in, or the hard chocolate chips will shred the gluten network you just built.

3️⃣Divide the dough into three equal pieces, shape into tight balls (boules), and cover with plastic wrap for a 10-minute bench rest. Roll out, coil, and place into the pan (Photos 6 and 7).

4️⃣Place in a warm, humid spot for the second proof (final proof) until 80% full in the pan. Bake at 180°C for about 32 minutes. Adjust according to how your oven runs.