Orange Sesame Milk Bread
Continuing with our Sando series… I’m working on my fruit sando and that requires a more interesting milk bread to sandwich fresh fruit and cream for the Sartorial Host touch. I wanted to create a sweet milk bread with a bit of texture and nuttiness. I used orange zest and freshly squeezed orange juice to permeate the loaf and black sesame seeds for a beautiful texture and an added flavor profile. Because of the higher sugar content with the orange juice and granulated sugar, this milk bread dough requires a longer proof time. Although it takes a little bit longer to prepare, it is well worth the effort. The orange fragrance quickly fills the kitchen as you bake and you are left with super soft and very orange-forward milk bread that is delicious on its own, or in my efforts, the perfect bread for my fruit sando.
ORANGE SESAME MILK BREAD
ingredients + TOOLS
13 x 4” loaf pan
2 — 1/4 oz packets of dry yeast
720 grams (5 1/3 cup) bread flour
68 grams (6 Tbsp) sugar
14 grams (1 Tbsp) kosher salt
42 grams (3 Tbsp) black sesame seeds
34 grams (2 1/2 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temp
Zest of 2 oranges
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
STEPS
Whisk together dry yeast and 1/2 cup of warm water (about 90-110 degrees) in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy.
In a stand mixer bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and salt with dough hook.
On the lowest setting, add yeast mixture, 1 cup of warm water (90-110 degrees) and orange juice. Increase the speed and mix until dough comes together.
Add the softened butter in three additions, mixing about 30 seconds after each to ensure butter is fully incorporated. Mix the dough until it is tightened and elastic, about 10-14 minutes.
Remove the dough from the bowl and slap down onto countertop, fold over in half. Rotate 90 degrees and repeat the slap down and fold process twice. Form into a ball and set in a buttered bowl to rise. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and cover with a towel to keep warm. Let rise until the dough has doubled in size, approximately 40-50 minutes.
Once the dough has doubled in size, remove from bowl and gently roll out with a rolling pin to a 13” wide x 8” high rectangle.
Roll the dough and place into a buttered bread pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and cover with a towel to keep warm. Keep near a sunny window or a warm environment near the oven to proof. Let it rise from 2-3 hours or until the dough has just reached the lip of the bread pan.
Remove the plastic wrap and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, use a foil tent for the last portion of the bake to keep from browning.
Remove the loaf from the pan and let cool on a metal cooling rack. Slice after cooling.
