Victorian Milk Bread Recipes

VICTORIAN MILK BREAD

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast and sugar into 100ml of milk in a bowl.
• Let sit 5 mins; stir to dissolve.
• Stir in another 100ml of milk.
• Mix 400g of flour with the salt.
• Make a well in centre and pour in the yeasted milk.
• Mix with wooden spoon.
• Stir in the remaining 100ml of milk to form a sticky dough.
• If dough is too sticky, mix in the remaining flour (1 tablespoon at a time) until a knead-able dough forms.
• Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface.
• Knead until smooth and elastic (it will feel like a baby's bottom); about 10 minutes.
• Use the remaining (or more) flour if necessary.
• Put the dough in a lightly greased bowl.
• Turn to coat dough with oil.
• Cover with plastic wrap/tea towel.
• Leave to rise for 45 minutes.
• Knock back, cover and let rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.
• Grease a 1 lb loaf pan.
• Shape the dough to fit in the pan.
• Cover, then prove until dough is 1-inch above the top of the pan (about 1 hour).
• Make egg glaze by lightly beating the egg with 1 tablespoon of milk.
• Brush the top of the loaf with the glaze.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F/200°C for 45 minutes until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped underneath.
• Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.

MILK BREAD

Steps:

• Grease a standard size loaf pan.
• Sift the flour into a large warm bowl and add the egg, butter, yeast, salt and sugar.
• Gradually mix in the milk--NOT all of it may be necessary--and knead by hand or by machine until smooth and elastic.
• Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for approximately 1 hour.
• Knead the dough again, BRIEFLY and fit the dough into the loaf pan.
• Let rise again in a warm place for approximately 45 minutes; then glaze the top of the loaf with either some beaten egg or some milk.
• Bake the loaf in a 450°F oven for 15 minutes; then REDUCE the oven temperature to 425°F and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the loaf is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on it's base.
• This bread was declared by Victorians to be a nice soft loaf with a good storage life and deemed perfect for teatime or breakfast use.
• Prep time includes time for the dough to rise.