Milk Bread
- 30m Prep Time
- 35m Cook Time
- 7h Ready In
A classic British milk bread with a fine, soft crumb and rich flavor. This recipe uses a sponge-and-dough method for a tender texture that keeps well.
Ingredients
- 170 g white bread flour
- 120 g warm water
- 10 g fresh yeast
- 3 g fine/table salt
- 400 g white bread flour
- 170 g milk
- 35 g caster/superfine sugar
- 6 g fine/table salt
- 35 g butter diced
- 1 egg beaten
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 7 of 10 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 166 mg
- Iron: 13.2 mg
- Magnesium: 86.5 mg
- Phosphorus: 425 mg
- Potassium: 473 mg
- Zinc: 3.67 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 170 g white bread flour
- 120 g warm water
- 10 g fresh yeast
- 3 g fine/table salt
- 400 g white bread flour
- 170 g milk
- 35 g caster/superfine sugar
- 6 g fine/table salt
Prepare
- Dice 35 g butter
- Beat 1 egg
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
In a bowl, combine 170g white bread flour, 120g warm water, 10g fresh yeast, and 3g salt. Mix thoroughly until a rough dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and leave at room temperature for about 1 hour, or until the surface is broken by large bubbles.
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Step 2.
Add the dough ingredients (400g white bread flour, 170g milk, 35g sugar if using, 6g salt) to the pre-ferment. Mix well until combined, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until you have a smooth, elastic dough. Gradually work in 35g diced butter, kneading until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth, silky, and soft but not sticky. Cover and leave at room temperature for 2–3 hours until doubled in size; the surface should show fine gas bubbles and appear pock-marked.
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Step 3.
Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Shape each into a ball, cover with a damp cloth, and let rest for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, grease two 500g loaf tins or a flat baking sheet with butter.
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Step 4.
Reshape each dough ball to fit the tins (for loaves) or shape into rounds for freestanding loaves. Place in the tins or on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and leave to rise for 1–2 hours until doubled in size and the dough does not spring back instantly when gently pressed.
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Step 5.
Preheat the oven to 180–190°C (160–170°C fan) or 200°C (180°C fan) if no sugar was used. Brush the tops of the loaves with beaten egg. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the tins or sheet after 10 minutes if baking unevenly. If the tops brown too quickly, cover loosely with kitchen foil. Continue baking for another 10–15 minutes, until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.