Moist and Fluffy Cream Bread
Homemade Cream Bread Recipe for Ultimate Softness
Leftover heavy cream? Let’s use it to make a cream bread that’s even more moist and tender than regular milk bread! Adding cream makes the dough wonderfully pliable and easy to handle. The result is a bread with an incredibly soft texture and rich flavor that we guarantee you’ll love. Many find it even more delicious than butter bread! Here are the ingredients and detailed steps to guide you.
Ingredients
- 300g Bread Flour
- 6g Instant Dry Yeast
- 3g Dough Improver
- 5g Salt
- 35g Sugar
- 18g Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
- 100g Heavy Cream
- 120g Water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Begin by preparing all your ingredients. If you don’t have heavy cream, you can substitute it with milk, but using heavy cream will result in a noticeably moister and softer bread.
Step 2
Sift the bread flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar, salt, and dough improver, and whisk them together thoroughly. Pre-mixing the dry ingredients ensures they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Step 3
Gently warm 10ml of the water in the microwave for about 20 seconds until lukewarm. Stir in the instant dry yeast and let it sit for a few minutes until it becomes frothy. Activating the yeast in warm water helps it ferment better, especially in cooler environments.
Step 4
Pour the activated yeast mixture and the room-temperature heavy cream into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Add all ingredients except the butter. Start mixing with a spatula or your hands until a shaggy dough forms.
Step 5
Once the dough comes together, gradually add the softened butter, a little at a time, while continuing to knead. Ensure each addition of butter is fully incorporated before adding more. This process develops the gluten structure.
Step 6
Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. You can test the dough by stretching a small piece; it should form a thin, translucent membrane without tearing (the windowpane test).
Step 7
Place the kneaded dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Let it undergo its first rise (bulk fermentation) in a warm place, ideally around 35°C (95°F), for about 40 minutes. A water bath can help maintain a consistent temperature.
Step 8
After the first rise, the dough should have doubled in volume. You’ll notice it’s airy and elastic. To check if it’s ready, gently poke the dough with a floured finger; the indentation should remain. The dough should also show a web-like structure when stretched.
Step 9
Weigh the fermented dough, which should be around 580g. Divide it into 3 equal portions, each weighing approximately 190-193g. Gently shape each portion into a ball by tucking the edges underneath.
Step 10
Cover the dough balls loosely with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let them rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes. This intermediate proof (bench rest) relaxes the gluten, making the dough easier to shape for the final loaf.
Step 11
After the intermediate proof, gently press down on each dough ball to deflate it slightly. Then, using a rolling pin, shape each piece into a long oval. Handle the dough gently to preserve some of the air.
Step 12
Fold the oval dough into thirds, as shown in the picture. Then, starting from one end, roll it up tightly. Pinch the seam at the end to seal it securely, much like you would seal a dumpling, to prevent it from opening during baking.
Step 13
Lightly grease your loaf pan(s) with oil or cooking spray. Place the shaped dough into the prepared pan(s). Cover the pan(s) with plastic wrap to prevent the dough surface from drying out during the final proof.
Step 14
Preheat your oven to a low temperature, around 35°C (95°F), for about 2-3 minutes. Place the loaf pan(s) inside the slightly warmed oven. Add a small pan of warm water to the bottom of the oven to create steam and maintain humidity. Let the dough undergo its second proof for about 30 minutes. Be careful not to overheat the oven, as temperatures above 40°C (104°F) can kill the yeast and inhibit fermentation. A gentle steam environment is key.
Step 15
Once the second proof is complete, the dough should have risen significantly. Bake in a preheated oven at 170-180°C (340-350°F) for approximately 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Keep an eye on the bread and adjust the baking time as needed; if the crust browns too quickly, you can tent it loosely with aluminum foil.
Step 16
Here is the beautifully baked cream bread, after about 25 minutes at 180°C (350°F)! Look at that lovely golden crust. This incredibly soft and moist cream bread is a personal favorite!
Step 17
After letting the bread cool completely, slice it to reveal the wonderfully moist and tender crumb, a testament to the heavy cream. Enjoy the delightful aroma and taste of freshly baked bread!
