Sourdough Sweet Milk Bun

After a long spell of playing with all inclusions and flavours for my traditional sourdoughs, I thought it was high time to try soft enriched loafs which my little girl favours. What better recipe to start with than her favourite sweet milk buns, the yeasted version is highly popular on this blog and can be found in this link — Sweet Milk Buns

Converting this to a sourdough recipe was not too difficult other than ensuring baker’s ratio was maintained. The bulk fermentation is the big unknown here. It took me 5.5 hours with a strong mature starter in a warm tropics kitchen (approx 28 deg C). If you live in a cold country, overnight proofing may be necessary, but I will give some signs of proofed dough in the steps below to check with.

Looking at the crumb, you will have no regrets. It is every bit as fluffy and soft as the yeasted version with the sweet milky aroma and taste. I went around asking the tasters and they all could not detect any tanginess, although the sourdough baker in me tasted a slight yoghurt taste, but really, that’s it. The smell when baking is the heavenly mixed of milk and butter, I’m just so glad I tried. Have fun!

Recipe (for a small loaf or 8 hotdogs buns)

130g levain

210g bread flour (I use Japanese bread flour for high water absorbency)

100g to 120g milk (depending on flour. Add 100g first and add as you knead if dough is dry)

25g condensed milk

40g sugar

35g salted butter (add 1/4 tsp salt if using unsalted butter)

Method

1. Add all ingredients except butter into a stand mixer bowl. Mix up with spatula. If there is time, allow 30 min of fermentolyse for easier mixing later on.

2. Using machine, knead at low then high speed till the dough comes together. Add butter and continue mixing till window pane.

3. Transfer dough to a dusted mat and round to a ball, rest for 20 min covered.

4. Divide dough in 8 equal parts and roll them round. Mine was about 70g each.

5. Roll out each dough with a rolling pin and swissroll up.

6. Place in a long baking tin or just onto your regular baking tray. Proof for approximately 5.5 hours. Proofing is done when 1. dough is slightly jiggly when you shake gently 2. dough does not rebound when you poke a finger into it 3. it has expanded 1.5 to 2 times in volume.