How To Make Super Soft, Spongy & Moist Bread | Chinese Bakery - Braided Bread Buns Recipe

Incredibly soft, spongy and moist bread made using a 65°c water roux starter allows bread to stay fresh for longer without needing to use artificial preservatives. I love the smell of fresh baked bread and this bread is so awesome and uses all natural ingredients is what I fall in love with being in the kitchen and you will not buy from the bakery again.

Makes 10
55g each

Ingredients

(A)
• 25g bread flour
• 113g whole milk or water

Milk / Water-roux method:
1) In a saucepan, Add bread flour and whole milk or water, mix well. bring to a boil over low to medium heat, Whisking until thickened and completely smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn. You will make about 100g water-roux. Set aside to cool until ready to use or cover and refrigerate overnight.

(B)
• 65g cold milk
• 1 whisked egg
• 100g water-roux
• 20g, 2 tbsp sugar
• 18g, 2 tbsp milk powder
• 270g bread flour
• 5g, 1 tsp dried yeast
• 25g, soften butter
• a pinch of sea salt or 1/4 tsp normal salt

(C)
• Whisk 1 egg yolk for brushing the crust
• or melted butter to give the crust a super shine

Bread dough method:
1) In a large bowl, Add cold milk, whisked egg, water roux, sugar, milk powder, bread flour and yeast. mix well.

2) Kneading the dough by hand, about 10 minutes. Adding soften butter and sprinkle a pinch of sea salt. Push the dough up and down, beat until no longer stick to your hands or the work surface.

3) Place smooth dough in a lightly greased, large mixing bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in upper or second rack of refrigerator overnight. Allow to cold rise. (or you can rise in the room temperature for 1 hour until triple in sized).

4) When risen. Transfer the whole dough to a floured work surface. Use a kitchen scale for calculate the ''whole dough'' and divide the weight by the number of pieces you want.

5) Forming it into a ball. pressing it down and roll into a long shape. cut into 3 lines. it will take the new number of its position in the row, place 1 under 2 and 3, repeats until dough is braided.

6) Place the dough onto a baking tray and rise again for 30 minutes or 1 hour in the warm place until double in sized. Ideal rise temperatures are between 35°C. If it's a winter day, the common problem is that dough won't rise. Using a warm oven by turn your oven on and off or with boiled water on the underneath to help your dough rise perfectly.

7) Brushing the crust with whisked egg yolk and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top. Bake in preheated oven 150°C, Bake for 15 minutes and 180°C for 3-5 minutes. Everyone's oven is different, you have to adjusting the temperature and baking time.

8) Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Helpful Tips:
1) It's recommended to use an oven thermometer.
2) Store a bread in an airtight bag or airtight container and keep fresh for 2 days or kept in a freezer for 1 month. To reheating and serve, After defrost the bread, It can be wrapped in aluminum foil in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. 
3) Yeast is best stored in the refrigerator, as the fungud in it will be killed at high temperatures. Before using yeast check the production date and storage life of your yeast. Refrigerate it as soon as possible after each use. The main cause of bread falling to rise is bad yeast.

Recipe Source: JosephineRecipes.Co.Uk