When I saw this recipe in my new book, I just had to make it. It sounded like the perfect combination of ingredients for a fall bread.
I bought this book after many failed attempts when I first started my homemade sourdough starter. She goes into great detail on how to get a strong starter. Then step-by-step photos on the entire two day process. I really like the fact that she has such a huge variety of recipes to try, from bread, crackers, deserts, and breakfast recipes too.
Orange - Cranberry Milk Bread
Day 1:
Tangzhong is an Asian technique for making soft, fluffy yeast bread. The cooked slurry locks moisture into the dough and prevents it from drying out.
Tangzhong Starter:
15 g (2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
56 g (1/4 cup) whole milk
56 g (1/4 cup) water
- Combine the flour, milk, and water in a small saucepan over low heat, whisking until there are no lumps. Stirring constantly, until the slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and cool.
Dough:
322 g (2 2/3 cups) bread flour
5 g (3/4 tsp) salt
42 g (3 tbsp) sugar
Zest of 1 orange
75 g (1/3 cup) whole milk
1 large egg
113g (1/2 cup) active sourdough starter
60 g (1/2 cup) dried cranberries
Mix together the flour, salt, sugar, and orange zest. Add the milk, the cooled Tangzhong starter, egg and active sourdough starter. Mix until all combined.
Knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Then add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, kneading after every addition. When all incorporated, knead the dough for another 10 minutes.
Form the dough into a ball, cover the bowl with wrap and allow to sit in a warm spot for an hour. Knead it again for 5 more minutes. Place back into the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap.
Let the dough proof for 5-6 hours or until it has increased in volume by 40% and it looks bubbly. Punch the dough down, form into a loaf and place into a banneton, cover and refrigerate it overnight.
Day 2:
- Remove the dough, spread it out making a large rectangle. Spread the dried cranberries evenly over the dough, add a little more orange zest if desired, and fold the long sides in towards the center. Roll the dough into a loaf, pinch the ends together and set the dough again in a covered bowl to rise for 2-4 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Egg Wash:
1 egg white
5 g (1 tsp) whole milk
pinch of salt
- Make the egg wash whisking the three ingredients and brush the loaf with the wash.
*Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
It rose beautifully, and it sure smells delightful. It was hard to let it cool before wanting to cut it.
Well, it may still have been slightly warm when I couldn't resist any longer.
The butter melted right away, and oh my goodness, the orange zest really came through and paired perfectly with the cranberries. This will definitely have to be made again.
Next up, lemon-blueberry bread. Now, doesn't that just get your mouth watering?