Soft Bread Machine-Aided Custard Bread

Originally, I found this recipe from a Chinese blog.  However, after a failed first attempt following the recipe, I had altered the recipe to work with my breadmaker and mixer. This time around, the bread came out so fluffy soft, it was gone within 24 hours.  This bread stayed soft even after 2 days, and considering how dry it is where I live, I'd say it's a keeper.  

The only fussy part about making this bread is the fact that I have to make the custard ahead.  On the other hand though, I don't have to add anymore eggs into my bread recipe, as it is already included in the custard.  The custard acts as the roux starter or 汤种, as called for in many recipes.  

Tips:
1.  Resting the dough before shaping will relax the gluten in the dough, making it easier to stretch out and shape.
2.  The bread recipe can be easily adapted to make a loaf, 8 buns, 16 buns... 
3.  I found the dough to be too dry with the original recipe, and added 25% more liquid to my recipe.
4.  The shaping directions in here is for 16 small breads.  It comes out to be just the right size for a pre-schooler.
5.  The custard can be stored in the fridge for about a week (personal experience)


Original blog link:  卡斯达超软吐司


The custard...

This recipe will result in about 350g of custard, and will make about 2 full recipes of the bread, as each recipe only calls for 110g.  The custard can easily be stored in the fridge for other uses.

250ml  Milk

1tbsp   Vanilla

3         Egg yolks

50g     Sugar (split into half, 25g each)

25g     Cake flour

20g     Butter

1.  Mix milk and vanilla in a small pot, and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and let cool.

2.  While the milk mixture is cooling, whisk egg yolks and 25g of sugar together until pale, then sift in cake flour and mix well.

3.  Slowly pour the slightly cooled milk mixture into the yolk mixture and mix well.

4.  Strain the mixture back into the pot and boil on medium heat.  Keep stirring until thickens into a custard, but not clumped.  Remove from heat.

5.  Stir in butter until melted, and let it cool.

The bread...

I've added more liquid to the bread and finished the bread in the oven instead.  This bread can easily just be finished in the breadmaker, selecting the 1.5lb loaf option.

110g   Custard

125g   Milk

250g   Bread flour

30g     Sugar

2g       Salt

5g       Rapid-rise yeast

20g     Butter

For Breadmaker:

1.  Put all ingredients, except butter, in the breadmaker, liquid ingredients to be added before the dry ingredients.  Sugar and salt to be added at opposite corners and away from the yeast.

2.  Select "Dough" function.  Let it finish all 3 rounds of mixing.  (Note:  Please note that this was done to suit my breadmaker.  The original recipe called for only one round of mixing, i.e. 20 minutes.)

3.  Once that's done, add in the butter and select the "Sweet Bread" function on the breadmaker, "1.5lb" option, and select "Light" browning option.

4.  At this point, the bread can be finished in the breadmaker.  Remove bread about 10-15 minutes before the end of the baking process.

5.  Alternately, the bread can also be left to rise until doubled in the breadmaker.  Then taken out to shape and left to rise for about 1 hour until doubled.  Then bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F for about 12 minutes.

For mixer (KitchenAid):

1.  Put all ingredients, except butter, in the mixer bowl, liquid ingredients to be added before the dry ingredients.  Sugar and salt to be added at opposite corners and away from the yeast.

2.  Use a dough hook, and start with a lower speed to mix the ingredients.  Once the ingredients looks mixed, slowly increase the speed up to medium high (i.e. 7-8 on KitchenAid) and let it knead (scraping down occasionally) until you can stretch the dough thin, about 10-20 minutes.

3.  Once that's done, add in the butter and knead at medium high speed again until you can stretch the dough very thin, about another 10 minutes.

4.  Remove the bread and put in an oiled bowl and cover with a sheet of clingwrap or clean damp cloth in a warm place to rise until double in volume.

5.  Cut the dough into 16 parts, then cut each of the 16 pieces into 3 equal pieces (i.e. 54 pieces).  Cover the dough with a clingwrap or a piece of clean damp cloth for about 10 minutes to let the dough rest.

6.  Roll each piece of dough into a long thin strand and braid 3 of them together and shape.  Put the bread on the baking mat/tray now and cover with a sheet of clingwrap or clean damp cloth for another 40-60 minutes until double in volume.

7.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Meanwhile, brush the bread with eggwash and sprinkle a little sugar on top.  Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.