I cannot belive how fast the year is galloping past, and we are at the end of January.
Month end also means Fresh From the Oven reveal date, where this month we were challenged by Silvia and Ivan from mushitz, to make bread using the Tangzhong method.
Tangzhong means water roux – and the method was popularised in the 1990s by Yvonne Chen’s book “The 65º C Bread Doctor”. By making a roux you develop some of the gluten before the bread is baked, and the resulting loaf is very fluffy soft and tender.
The bread was indeed, fluffy, soft and tender and delicious, but was also the stickest dough I have ever worked with, not something that I would have liked to attempt without Fifi, my new and already very loved stand mixer with her trusty dough hook.
I will be making this one again, maybe stuffing the loaf next time.
Thanks to Silvia and Ivan for a fantastic challenge.
Tangzhong Bread
Ingredients
For the Tangzhong:
- 30 g plain / all purpose flour
- 150 g cold water
For the Dough:
- 125 g milk (1)
- 5 g instant yeast (2)
- 350 g strong white flour
- 55 g sugar
- 5 g salt
- 120 g tangzhong
- 1 egg
- 30 g butter
For Glazing:
- the rest of the tangzhong
Instructions
Prepare the tangzhong:
- Whisk together cold water and flour (there should be no lumps) and cook over low heat (stirring all the time) until the temperature reaches 65ºC.30 g plain / all purpose flour, 150 g cold water
- If you don't have a thermometer – no problem – cook until the spoon you're stirring with leaves a trace. The mixture should have the consistency of something in the middle between crème anglaise and pastry cream.
- Leave the tangzhong to cool down at room temperature before using it.
Prepare the dough:
- Dissolve yeast in the milk.125 g milk, 5 g instant yeast
- Mix the flour, sugar and salt together. Then add the milk and yeast mixture, 120g of the Tangzhong mixture and the egg.350 g strong white flour, 55 g sugar, 5 g salt, 120 g tangzhong, 1 egg
- Mix the ingredients together, either by hand, or with an electric mixer with a dough hook to a soft dough, then add the softened butter.30 g butter
- Let the mixer knead for 15 – 20 minutes. You can see if the dough is ready by tearing a small piece of it and stretching it to a very thin membrane that you can almost see through, before it tears.
- Cover the bowl and leave it to double in bulk. The time taken can vary considerably according the the temperature.
- Knock the dough down on a lightly floured counter top, giving it a quick knead just to let the gas escape.Divide the dough into three. One by one roll each piece into an oval, and then fold each side in so you have three layers. Roll up.
- Place each roll, seam side down, in a buttered, or lined 2lb loaf tin ( 22cm / 8.5inch). Cover and allow it to double in size again.
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Brush with the rest of the tangzhong and bake for around 30 – 35 minutes until nicely golden.the rest of the tangzhong
Notes
- Milk - Any type of milk - or buttermilk works here
- Yeast - 5g of dried, or 15g of fresh yeast.
A quick and easy yeastless bread recipe is my emergency bread.
Silvia
Fifi did a great job :) Thank you for participating.
Helen
Well thank you for another excellent challenge!
bakingaddict
I love challenges like these when I get to see how everyone did with the same recipe. Everyone mentions the sticky dough, will bear in mind when trying it out. Love the look of your loaf :)
Helen
Thanks. It was a really good challenge. I love FFTO as it challenges me to do something different, but without being too time consuming.
I am really really loving having a stand mixer, cannot imagine how I managed without one for so long.
whatkatebaked
I absolutely agree Helen- the great thing about FFTO is that I would be unlikely to make the breads suggested otherwise, as I usually tend to stick to my trusty and often used white/granary loaf recipes.
Sally - My Custard Pie
I’m a much more confident yeast baker after almost two years of Fresh From the Oven challenges. Your loaf looks lovely – clever old Fifi! :)
Tandy
I love the name FIFI! She is really helpful :)