Bake-a-thon 2016: Day 7
Bake of the Day: Milk Bun
Here's the last yeast bread for this week and this recipe for Milk Bun is from the cookbook 'Honey & Co.' I love braided breads even though I'm still figuring out how to make them pretty, so when I saw this recipe in the book I knew I had to try it out. 
This Milk bun is a cross between a Jewish Challah and French Brioche. It is lighter and smoother than a Challah without being as rich as the brioche. It is an pretty straight forward recipe and the dough is very very easy to work with.
Original recipe had 1 whole egg that I subbed with egg replacer powder. I also added some whole wheat flour to add some fiber to the bread and make it less guilty to enjoy. The braid shape not only looks beautiful but makes it easy to tear to piece with the hand than to slice (though I decided to slice them for the photos).
This milk bun is perfect to eat just as is without anything but a bit of butter to jam wouldn't be too out of place here. Also this makes an excellent French toast or pudding pudding.
This is part of the Bake-a-thon 2016.
This goes for the December Week 3, Cooking from Cookbook Challenge Group.
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Braided Milk Bread
Ingredients
- 1½ cups bread flour
- ½ cup Wholewheat flour You can skip adding wholewheat flour and use 2 cups of All purpose flour
- ½ cup Lukewarm Milk
- 1 tbsp Instant Yeast
- 1½ tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp Egg replacer whisked in 3tbsp Water (or use 1 whole egg)
- 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter, softened
- As needed Poppy seeds, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients (except for the poppy seeds) in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of the stand mixer. Mix and knead until a soft and slightly sticky dough forms, about 6 minutes on a stand mixer and 8 minutes with hand.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise for 45minutes to 1 hour or until the dough is doubled in volume.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Roll the dough into a long log -- it is best to roll from the middle outwards until the log is 30" long.
- Cut 10" off one end of the log set aside. Arrange the remaining log as an upside down 'U' on a lined baking tray.
- Lay the 10" length in a straight line down the middle of the 'U', with one end resting on top of the dough at the center of the curve.
- Now braid the three strips of dough loosely making sure that the dough has room to proof.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour,
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Carefully remove the plastic wrap and brush the dough with milk or beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds, if desired. Place the braid in the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Reduce the oven to 400°F, open the door carefully and turn the tray. Bake for another 8 minutes, then reduce the heat again to 350°F. for the last 8 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little before eatcing. This bread is best eaten as soon after baking as possible, but makes great toast the next day.
Priya Suresh
I would like to have few slices of this milk bun with some nutella, beautiful braids there.
sapana
That braided milk buns is to die for. Looks absolutely stunning.
Amara
Gorgeous Pavani, love the braids and texture of the bun.
Srivalli
Wow wow it looks out of the world Pavani...I wish I could bake this now!
Srividhya
Awesome Pava. Love those braids.
Usha
That is a beautifully braided bread. I love the texture on the top of bread .
Priya
Pavani, i was looking for a bun, but the braid looks stunning, that topping is something i m jealous off, i cannot use it here,!! very pretty braid!