Almond sweet loaf

For the modest amount of butter used, this is one very fluffy bread

I have done myself a disservice for such a long time by not baking  sweet breads. How in the world could I have forgotten how much I enjoy them !

Using part plain flour instead of 100% high protein bread flour has given this bread a texture that  straddles between cake and bread. Also, its velvety strands and eggy  flavor reminds me of Tokyo's Japanese sweet buns.

Good on its own, I augmented each slice of the almond loaf with some more dulce le leche. This, of course, is excessive since the dulce le leche icing was baked into  on the crust. Use a mixture of condensed milk and butter  as an alternative for the topping though I suspect, just a piping of butter would bring out the best of the loaf.

The entire loaf was consumed by the end of the second day, which calls for an encore bake some time very soon.

Adapted from 'Baked and Steamed Bun' compiled by Wong Kee Sum. This book is available in the Singapore National Library Chinese section.

Ingredients A :

140 g bread flour

120 g plain flour

60g sugar

1/2 t salt

8 g instant yeast

40 g butter, softened

15 g milk powder

B:

1 egg, lightly beaten

115 g cold milk

C:

50 g toasted almonds, chopped

Mix dry ingredients under A in a bowl. Combine with remaining ingredients in A and B . Knead to form a dough, 10 minutes. Add almonds. Knead well to combine.

Rest the dough for  at least 30 minutes on the kneading bowl, covered.

Divide dough to 2 equal portions. Rest of 10 minutes, covered on the work top.

Flatten and stretch dough to oval shape and roll up. Place the 2 rolled up dough  in a big bread pan, side by side, that has been thoroughly greased and dusted with flour.

Rest for another 30 minutes or until double in size.

Brush loaf with milk ( I spray it with a misting bottle ). Use a sharp knife and score through the center of the bread and pipe some butter ( I use a mix of dulce le leche, butter and icing sugar, leftover from the last cupcake project ).

In a preheated oven at 185 C, bake bread for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. I baked for 25 min and it proofed a tad too tan for my liking.

Cool completely, preferably overnight. Keeps well for 2 days or longer if frozen.