Pattern No. 1 ⬆

Pattern No. 2 ⬆

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This is my first time using plant powders. I find it much easier to use powder when making different colours or flavour dough in one loaf. The advantage of using plant powders is that it can be added directly into the main dough during kneading. I only have to divide the main dough to be mixed with the separate colours. Someone was telling me to use Pandan powder instead of fresh pandan to avoid the weird cheesy aroma. However, I have a feeling that the pandan powder I used is not pure (even though the seller claims it is 100% pandan) and it did not impart much colour or aroma.

I have tried two patterns just for fun. Obviously, the first pattern is much easier.

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 Two Tones Soft Bread (Sourdough)

Yields: 2 square loaves

INGREDIENTS:

Yudane Dough:

65g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)

65g boiling water

Sweet Stiff Starter:

50g sourdough starter (100% Hydration), preferably use at its peak

175g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)

72g water or 88g milk

25g sugar (I used organic brown sugar)

Main Dough:

65g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)

All stiff starter (above)

All the yudane dough (above0

10g brown sugar (I used organic brown sugar)

1 tsp salt

20 milk powder (omit if SST is fed with milk)

40g egg, whisked (from 1 medium egg)

20g water (reserve 10g and add in later if needed) I used total 15g of water

20g butter, room temperature

2 1/2 tsp sweet potato powder

5 tsp pandan powder (optional)

Utensil:

Square Loaf Pan (11.5 X 11.4 X 10.6 cm / 4.5" X 4.5" X 4.2") X 2

METHOD:

Yudane:

Add bread flour in a bowl, pour the boiling water and mix well with spatula or spoon until no dry flour.
Cling film and leave on the counter for at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge. I prepared the night before.
Use directly from the fridge.

Sweet Stiff Starter

In a bowl of stand mixer, dilute starter with water, stir in sugar and add in bread flour. Mix with paddle attachment until well mixed and all come together. It can be done by hand mixing too.
Cover and let it ferment until tripled. I prepared a night before and leave it in aircond room (approximately 24 - 25C room temperature) overnight until tripled. It took about 8 - 9 hours depending on your starter. It should take around 4 - 6 hours to get triple at room temperature at 28C - 30C.
However, if you feed your starter with milk, the starter will take longer time to proof and very much depend on your stater. Mine took about 9 - 10 hours to proof overnight. And the starter did not rise until triple in size compared feeding with water. It rose almost 2.5 to 3 in size. It is because natural yeast takes longer time to digest the milk than it does in water.

Main Dough:

Put all ingredients (except butter) into a bowl of stand mixer. I usually slightly torn the stiff starter and yudane dough first.
Slightly combine the mixture by hand with the paddle attachment before turning on the machine so that the flour will not splash out. Using the paddle attachment, mix for 2 minutes or until all incorporated. This step is critical to prevent an uneven mixed dough as the stiff starter is rather hard and a dough hook may not be able to mix it well enough.
Change to hook attachment and knead for another 3 minutes or until the dough comes together. Add in butter and continue knead for about 5 minutes or until the dough come together.
Divide the dough into two equal portions.
Add in sweet potato powders into one of the dough and continue kneading for another 5 - 6 minutes or until the dough become smooth, silky and reach window pane stage. The whole kneading process, I stopped few times to scrape down the dough from the hook to be sure it is evenly kneaded and also to prevent the motor from overheating.
Repeat the same on another dough with pandan powder.

1st Proofing/Resting:

Let the dough rest for 45 - 60 minutes. Keep it covered with clingfilm or use a lid. This dough I rested for 45 minutes and the dough didn't rise much.

Shaping:

Transfer the dough to a clean floured surface then divide dough into 8 equal portions (Shaping No.1) or 18 equal portions (Shaping No. 2) for both sweet potato and pandan dough. Please use a kitchen scale if you want to be exact.
Form each portion to a ball.
Place the dough balls 2 X 2 (Shaping No. 1) or 3 X 3 (Shaping No. 2) in a checkered pattern and alternate the pattern for the next layer.

Final Proofing:

Let it proof in a warm place until the dough rise until it reaches slightly below the rim of the pan. This one took approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes at at room temperature of 29C - 30C. The duration of proofing depends on your ambient temperature and the starter.
Cover the pans with lids.

Baking:

Preheat oven at 190C - 200C (top & bottom heat) or 170C - 180C (fan-forced) for 10 - 15 minutes.
Bake in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove bread from oven and pan. Let them cool on rack.

Yudane Dough

Sweet Stiff Starter

Main Dough

Shaping No. 1 (2 X 2)

Shaping No. 2 (3 X 3)

GENERAL NOTES:

SOURDOUGH STARTER

Please click this link for "How To Make Sourdough Starter" and "Sourdough Maintenance"

A healthy starter is very crucial as advised by Baking with Gina. It is advisable to feed your starter regularly if you want your bread to rise nicely and to use the starter (levain) at its peak. A starter that is fed regularly will be more active in general. If the mother starter is not strong, the bread dough will not rise a lot even though the starter is used at its peak.

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.

MILK POWDER

Why do I use milk powder?

Milk or milk powder will enhance the flavour of the bread and makes the bread texture softer due to the fat content of the milk.
Milk powder is shelf stable and you can have it anytime when you want to use. Unlike liquid milk you need to finish within a certain time before it spoils.

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, environment, flour and your starter.

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

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 the tip of the dough just reaches the rim of the pan, around 80% - 90% in size.

BAKING TEMPERATURE AND 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.