Milk Bun

Today I used a stand mixer to knead the dough, the new Daewoo Big White Elephant stand mixer, which is a relatively advanced model among stand mixers. Therefore, the dough develops gluten very quickly, and it works quietly and steadily. I have always recommended that friends who like baking use a stand mixer to knead the dough. If the dough is kneaded well, you get bread; if not, it can easily turn into a steamed bun.

Put the dough ingredients into the mixing bowl. I usually add the dry ingredients first and then the wet ingredients. Some teachers do the opposite, but it doesn’t really matter as long as all the ingredients are included and you don’t fluster and forget anything. Put the bread flour, granulated sugar, yeast, and salt (if you want a stronger milky flavor, you can add 10 grams of milk powder) into the mixing bowl and mix well, then add the milk, beaten eggs, and condensed milk.

Once the ingredients are added, start kneading the dough. The stand mixer has many functions, with a total of six functions arranged in two rows. Select 'Knead Dough' and install the dough hook for kneading. If using the 'Whip' function, install the whisk. Each function is used with different attachments.

Set the speed to gear 3, which is medium speed, and set the time to 1 minute. After 1 minute, all the ingredients will be mixed evenly, reaching the state shown in the picture. Many people can't tell the state of the dough film, so just don't judge! After mixing evenly, add the butter. Make sure the butter is softened beforehand and cut into small pieces, then add it to the dough bowl. Keep it at gear 3 and knead for another minute, and the butter will be fully mixed into the dough.

In the previous step, all the ingredients, including butter, were mixed together. Knead the dough in the stand mixer for 2 minutes, then switch to speed 6, which is high speed, and continue kneading. Set the time for 4 minutes to develop the gluten network. The stand mixer kneading took a total of 6 minutes! At the state shown in the picture, the dough is ready for making bread.

Take the dough out of the kneading bowl and shape it into a round. It's okay if you can't tell whether the dough has developed the gluten film; the surface of this dough is smooth and delicate, with a glossy sheen. Seeing this condition means the dough has been kneaded properly.

Divide the kneaded dough evenly into 16 portions, knead each portion a bit more, then roll it into a ball and place it on a baking tray for fermentation. You can use an oven, room temperature, or fermentation box—use whatever tool you have. Of course, a fermentation box is the best, as the bread made in it will be the softest.

During the fermentation time, make a bowl of diluted egg liquid, which is just mixing eggs and water in a 1:1 ratio evenly, and that's it.

The fermented small buns have expanded to about twice their original size, each bun touching the others, looking close and affectionate. Brush the surface with a layer of diluted egg wash, sprinkle white sesame seeds in the middle, preheat the oven, bake at 180°C with top and bottom heat on the middle rack for 20 minutes, and cover with aluminum foil after 10 minutes to avoid excessive browning.

After the bread comes out of the oven, tap the baking tray twice to release the heat inside, then place it on a wire rack to cool.

When it has cooled to just a little warmth, place it in a bag and seal it for storage. It can be frozen for up to a month. Refrigeration is not recommended, as refrigerated bread tends to harden easily.