Scroll to the bottom of the page for "PRINT RECIPE" ⬇

This Creamed Sweet Corn Loaf is so soft and fluffy. I used pâte fermentée (pre-fermented dough in French) or sometimes called "old dough" to make this soft and flavourful bread. Traditionally, bread makers take a portion of the bread dough made and save it overnight for next day baking. I made it from scratch since I did not have any ready old dough. With this method, the bread is more flavourful and aromatic due to the higher acidity and fermentation gasses produced during the slow fermentation.

Please click on Bread Making Method to understand more details.

If you have any questions regarding this recipe or any other post, please leave me a comment in the “LEAVE A COMMENT” link and I will reply you as soon as possible. Do tag me on Instagram @Bakewithpaws if you attempt on this recipe.

How To Make Creamed Sweet Corn Bread

Yields: 1 Loaf (25 x 12 x 11cm loaf pan)

INGREDIENTS:

Old Dough:

100g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp instant yeast

60g water

Main Dough:

360g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)

230g can creamed sweet corn

1 ¼ tsp yeast

25g brown sugar (add more if you like slightly sweeter)

1½ tsp salt

30g milk powder

1 egg, whisked (use only 40g)

40g butter, room temperature

Egg Wash:

Balance of whisked egg from 1 egg above + 1 Tbsp milk

Utensil:

25 x 12 x 11 cm Pullman Loaf Pan

METHOD:

Old Dough:

Combine water, yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl. Then mix in bread flour and knead with your hand for few minutes until smooth and shiny. Roll into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover with cling film and let it prove for 1 hour in a warm and dark place.
After 1 hour, place into the refrigerator overnight for at least 12 hours or up to 16 hours. Fridge temperature 2C - 4C. The next morning, take out the old dough from refrigerator to return to room temperature 30 minutes before using. You can also use directly from the fridge if you forget to take out earlier.
If you don't plan to bake the next day, after 1 hour fermentation, shape it into a ball and wrap it in cling wrap or place it in a ziplock bag. Store it in the freezer for 1-2 months. Take it out 30 minutes before using to defrost.

Kneading Main Dough:

Put all main dough ingredients and old dough in a bowl of stand mixer and knead till the dough come together, until achieve window pane stage (the dough at this stage should be able to be pulled and stretched into membrane).

1st Proofing:

Form the dough into a round ball and let it rise in a warm place for 60 minutes or until double in size in a large greased bowl, covered with cling film or kitchen towel. I normally leave the dough in the stand mixer’s bowl and cover with kitchen towel.

Shaping:

Punch down the dough to release the air. Transfer the dough to a clean floured surface then divide into 2 equal portions.
Roll out each dough with a rolling pin into long rectangle shape. Fold the two sides to the centre. Roll flat with rolling pin again. Roll up like swiss roll and place all dough in a pullman loaf pan lining with non-stick baking sheet without lid on.

Final Proofing:

Let it rise for another 50 -60 minutes or until double in size.

Baking:

Preheat the oven to 190°C for about 15 minutes.
Brush with egg wash (optional) and bake 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove bread to cool on rack completely before slicing.

GENERAL NOTES:

GLUTEN DEVELOPMENT & WINDOWPANE TEST

Gluten forms when flour comes in contact with water. Hydration of the flour causes the sticky and stretchy protein to form, giving structure to the bread. This makes your bread trap air and rise.

Gluten in dough can be developed by autolyse, resting, kneading or folding.

The windowpane test is used to determine whether the dough has been sufficiently kneaded. By gently pulling the dough (or you may pinch off some dough) and trying to stretch it into a thin membrane. If you are able to stretch the dough paper thin and translucent without tearing, then the gluten is fully developed. However, if you can stretch it without tearing but the membrane is not transparent, then the gluten is not yet fully developed.

However, from my experience not all the recipe can achieve a thin and translucent window pane stage easily. For example low hydration and low fat dough. For such recipes, a reasonable window pane is good enough and it can be left to rest. Gluten will continue to develop while resting. Exercising restraint to not over-knead the dough prevents the gluten from being overworked and broken. Some of you may have experienced the dough breaking during the second proofing. It is because the dough is over kneaded.

The total kneading time for me is usually 15 minutes at low speeds except brioche dough with high fat percentage or dough using liquid fat which usually takes a little longer (maybe 18-20 mins).

From my experience, I found that high hydration dough with high percentage of fat will be easy to stretch and achieve a paper thin windowpane stage.

KNEADING TIME

For kneading, please regard the timing provided as an indication only. It is only meant as a guide. Timing may differ depending on the brand of flour and electric mixer used. The protein content may vary from one brand of flour to another.

FLOUR
The right flour plays a very important role in bread making. To achieve fluffy, soft and light bread, I used Japan High Gluten Flour in most of my bread baking. The protein content is around 12 - 13%.

HYDRATION

The liquid measurement given is also a guide. It is advisable to always reserve some liquid and not add it all in one go. This would give you the opportunity to adjust if necessary. If dough is too dry, add the reserve liquid one tablespoon at a time until the right consistency. This is because each flour absorbs water and hydrates differently.

PROOFING

Please note that the proofing timing may also vary depending on your climate and environment. The humidity and temperature at your place will influence how dough rises.

If you are unable to judge by just looking at the dough, you can do the finger poke test:

First Proofing:

Lightly flour or oil your finger or knuckle, gently poke in the centre of the dough then remove your finger. If it bounces back immediately without any indentation then it needs more time.
If the indentation stays and it doesn’t bounce back or if the dough collapses, then the it is over proved.
If it bounces back just a little, then the dough is ready to be punched down and shaping.

Second Proofing:

Lightly press the side of the proved dough with your finger. If it bounces back immediately without any indentation, it means the dough is under proved and needs more time before baking.
If the indentation stays and it doesn’t bounce back, it means it has been over proved.
If the indentation slowly bounces back and leave a small indentation, it is ready to bake.
There will be a final burst of rising once the bread is placed to bake in the oven and it is called oven spring.

WRINKLE TOP OR SHRINKING

If your bread collapses or gets wrinkled on top after removing from oven, it could be because your dough over proved during the second proofing. Please proof until it rises 80 - 90% in size or is slightly below the rim of the pan.

BAKING TEMPERATURE & TIME

Do also note that the baking temperature and timing provided are what works for my oven and should also be regarded as a guide only. Every oven behaves a little differently, so please adjust accordingly for your oven.