Old-Fashioned Bread โ A Taste of Childhood (Thermomix Version)
Ingredients
- ๐ Sponge (Pre-ferment)
- 220 Bread flour
- 80 Cake flour
- 30 White sugar
- 5 Active dry yeast
- 320 Milk
- โ๏ธ Main Dough
- 220 Bread flour
- 80 Cake flour
- 60 White sugar
- 1 Egg
- 60 Butter
- 6 Salt
Instructions
- The night before, make the sponge (pre-ferment). Add yeast, sugar, and milk to a large bowl and stir until combined. Add the flour and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and let it ferment at room temperature for 1 hour, then transfer to the refrigerator overnight.
- This is what the sponge looks like the next day.
- Pull it apart โ the interior should have a honeycomb-like structure.
- The next day, place the sponge along with flour, sugar, and egg into the Thermomix. Mix for 30 seconds on speed 3โ6, then run the kneading mode for 5 minutes. You can pause midway to check the dough temperature and consistency.
- Add butter and salt, then knead for another 4 minutes.
- Place the kneaded dough in the oven at 35ยฐC with a bowl of hot water beside it. Let it proof until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and divide evenly into 12 portions.
- Shape each into a round ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 10โ15 minutes.
- Take one dough portion and roll it out into an oval shape.
- Flip it over, shape into a rectangle, flatten the bottom edge, and roll it up tightly from top to bottom.
- Roll all portions the same way. Keep them covered with plastic wrap while working to prevent the surface from drying out.
- Starting from the first one you rolled, stretch and roll each into a long rope, about 45 cm.
- Twist the rope by rolling your hands in opposite directions to add tension.
- Fold it in half and it will automatically coil up on itself.
- Thread the tail end through the loop.
- See the arrows โ tuck both ends through the hole.
- This is what it looks like after shaping.
- Place into a 28ร28 cm baking pan.
- Put in the oven at 35ยฐC with a bowl of hot water beside it. Let it proof until doubled in size.
- Gently brush the surface with egg wash.
- Preheat the oven to 180ยฐC. Bake on the middle rack for 20โ25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and tap the pan on the counter to release air. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Tear it by hand โ super stretchy and delicious! ๐
