70% Sponge Hokkaido Milk Loaf❤️: Teacher Ai He Ziyou's Classic Formula

🍞Ingredients:

🎈Sponge (Chongzhong): Bread flour 175g, egg white 35g, milk 75g, instant dry yeast 2g, salt 2g.

🎈Main Dough: Bread flour 75g, milk powder 15g, sugar 45g, salt 1g, heavy whipping cream 60g, instant dry yeast 1g, butter 20g.

🍞Method:

1️⃣Knead all sponge ingredients into a ball, let ferment at room temperature for about 1 hour, and then refrigerate overnight. If you won't have time to bake until the next evening, put the sponge straight into the fridge right after mixing.

2️⃣The next day, take the sponge out of the fridge and check its interior structure. If it has a web-like network of bubbles inside and has roughly doubled in size, it is ready to use. If not, let it ferment at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes first.

3️⃣Tear the chilled sponge into small pieces and place in the mixer bowl with all main dough ingredients except the butter. Mix on low speed until combined, then knead on medium speed until the dough stretches into a thick membrane. Add the butter, mix on low speed until incorporated, and then knead on medium and low speed until the dough reaches the full windowpane stage.

4️⃣Shape the dough into a tight ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes. Divide into 3 equal pieces, then roll out, coil, and place into the loaf pan.

5️⃣Proof in a warm, humid place until the pan is 80-90% full. Bake at 190°C for about 33 minutes. (Adjust the baking time and temperature for how your oven runs; if your loaves normally take 38 minutes to bake through, bake this one for 38 minutes too.)

❤️❤️❤️As this loaf bakes, it fills the kitchen with the most wonderful, balanced milky aroma, making it one of my most frequently baked recipes. This dough also makes phenomenal dinner rolls and shaped sweet buns. Highly recommended!