Soft Butter Milk Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup Whole milk (Warm to about 38°C (100°F))
• 2 tsp Active dry yeast (Fresh yeast works too (1 tsp))
• 2 tbsp Granulated sugar
• 2 Large eggs (Room temperature)
• 3 cups All‑purpose flour (Approximately 360 g)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 3 tbsp Unsalted butter (Softened, cut into small pieces for folding)

Instructions

1. Activate yeast

   Pour the warm milk into the mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast over it, add the sugar and stir gently. Let the mixture sit for 5‑10 minutes until it becomes foamy.

   Time: PT10M

2. Beat the eggs

   In a small bowl, beat the two eggs until the yolk and white are fully combined.

   Time: PT2M

3. Combine dry ingredients

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

   Time: PT2M

4. Form the dough

   Add the beaten eggs to the yeast mixture, then gradually add the flour‑salt blend. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then knead (by hand or with a mixer) for about 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

   Time: PT8M

5. Fold in the butter

   Add the softened butter pieces to the dough and gently fold them in using a stretch‑and‑fold motion for about 5 minutes until fully incorporated.

   Time: PT5M

6. First rise

   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

   Time: PT0M

7. Shape and second rise

   Punch down the dough gently, shape it into a loaf, place it in a greased 9×5 in loaf pan, cover loosely and let it rise for another 30 minutes.

   Time: PT0M

8. Preheat oven

   While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 190°C

9. Bake the bread

   Place the loaf in the oven and bake for 25‑30 minutes, or until the top is deep golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: 190°C

10. Cool

    Remove the bread from the pan, transfer to a cooling rack and let it cool completely before slicing.

    Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

200

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

6 g

Fiber

1 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Whole milk: Almond milk, Soy milk
• Instead of Active dry yeast: Instant yeast (use 1½ tsp)
• Instead of Granulated sugar: Honey (1½ tbsp)
• Instead of Large eggs: Egg replacer (½ cup)
• Instead of All‑purpose flour: Bread flour
• Instead of Salt: Sea salt
• Instead of Unsalted butter: Margarine, Olive oil (2 tbsp)

Equipment Needed

• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk or fork
• Measuring cups & spoons
• Stand mixer with dough hook (optional) (optional)
• Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel
• Loaf pan (9×5 in)
• Oven
• Cooling rack (optional)
• Pastry brush (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Activating the yeast with warm milk and sugar.
• Folding the butter into the dough after the initial knead.
• Ensuring the oven is fully preheated before baking.

Chef Tips from the Video

• For an extra‑soft crust, brush the loaf with melted butter immediately after baking.
• Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the milk for a subtle sweet aroma.
• If you like a shiny crust, lightly beat an egg with a tablespoon of water and brush it on the loaf before baking.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Wrap tightly; keeps 3‑4 days.

Freezer: Slice, wrap each piece, and freeze up to 2 months.

Room temperature: Best within 1 day if kept in a bread box.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Bake the loaf a day ahead; reheat in a 150°C oven for 5‑7 minutes.
• Freeze slices and toast directly from frozen.