Leopard Milk Bread
Leopard Milk Bread Recipe made with bread flour, cocoa powder, and orange zest. Soft homemade bread recipe with fun leopard spots!
Servings: 1 loaf
Ingredients
Bread Dough
- 16 grams cornstarch
- 250 grams warm whole milk 110℉ (43℃) - plus more for brushing on dough
- 6 grams active dry yeast
- 70 grams granulated sugar divided
- 56 grams unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons orange zest optional
- 1 teasponn fine sea salt
- 188 grams all purpose flour 11-11.7% protein
- 188 grams bread flour 12.7-13% protein
Dark Chocolate Paste
- 2 ½ Tablespoons natural, dutch processed or black cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 ½ Tablespoon whole milk
Light Chocolate Paste
- 2 teaspoons natural or dutch processed cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons whole milk
Egg Wash
- 1 teaspoon whole milk
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Stir cornstarch in cup of warm milk until dissolved.16 grams cornstarch, 250 grams warm whole milk
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine milk mixture, yeast, and 2 Tbsp of the sugar. Gently stir together and let sit for 8-10 minutes until frothy.6 grams active dry yeast
- Add melted butter (cooled to room temp), the rest of the sugar, salt, vanilla and orange zest to yeast mixture.70 grams granulated sugar, 56 grams unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract, 2 Tablespoons orange zest, 1 teasponn fine sea salt
- Using the dough hook attachment mix on medium-low speed. Slowly spoon in flour until fully incorporated. Increase speed to medium for about 1 minute.188 grams all purpose flour, 188 grams bread flour
- The dough should be very slightly tacky, with a soft and smooth texture and cling to the entire bottom of the bowl. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the liquid.
- Turn the mixer back on to medium speed and beat for 6-8 minutes to knead the dough until smooth and shiny.
- Windowpane Test: Tear off a small piece of dough and stretch out gently with your fingers. If the dough becomes transparent without breaking its ready. If not, beat for another 2-3 minutes and test again.
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Weigh the dough and divide into two equal halves.
- Plain Dough: Lightly dust one dough half with flour, place in a bowl, loosely cover with wrap in plastic wrap. Set in a warm location to double in size, about 2 hours. This will be our natural colored.
- Chocolate Dough: Take the second dough half and evenly divide it into two equal halves. We will use these two halves for the chocolate spots.
Make Chocolate Pastes
- Use a separate bowl for each paste. Stir the cocoa powder and milk together with a small spatula.
- You should have one dark chocolate paste and one light chocolate paste.
- Place on half in the dark chocolate paste and the other half in the light chocolate paste.
- Work the chocolate into the dough with your hands. Transfer to a work surface and knead to incorporate all the chocolate into each dough until its homogenous in color.
- You should now have one dark chocolate ball of dough and one light chocolate ball of dough.
- Transfer each chocolate dough ball into a bowl, loosely cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm location to double in size. About 2 hours.
Divide the Dough
- After all three doughs have doubled in size, transfer them to a lightly floured work surface.
- Weigh the light colored dough and divide into 6 equal pieces.
- Repeat with the dark and light chocolate dough balls.
- You should now have 18 pieces of dough.
Make Logs
- Start by rolling each of the light brown pieces into an 8-inch log.
- Then using a rolling pin, roll each of the dark chocolate dough balls into 9-inch flat ovals.
- Place one light chocolate log onto a flat dark chocolate oval. Using a pastry brush lightly coat the edges of the dark chocolate with milk.
- Then fold the dark chocolate over the light chocolate as if you were wrapping a hot dog bun around a hot dog. The result should look like a chocolate cigar.
- Next, take a natural dough ball and roll into a 9-inch oval with the rolling pin.
- Repeat the process by placing the dark chocolate wrapped 'sausage' onto the white dough oval.
- Paint the edges of the white dough with milk and then fold it over the dark chocolate, closing the seems.
- The result should now look like a log with a light chocolate center, a wrapping of dark chocolate, and then a final wrapping of white dough.
- Repeat this process with the remaining dough until you have 7 logs.
- Now, roll each log lengthwise with your hands, until it becomes doubled in length. Like a long snake. Slice each log in half for a total of 12 logs.
Line Pan and Proof
- Prepare a 9x5-inch loaf pan with a light coating of non-stick baking spray.
- Stack the dough logs into the pan, alternating ends with each log.
- Cover with a light tea towel and place in a draft free warm location to puff and double in size. At least 1 hour.
Bake Loaf
- Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃).
- Beat the milk and egg together in a small bowl to make an egg wash. Lightly brush a thin layer across the top of the dough.1 teaspoon whole milk, 1 large egg
- Reduce oven temp to 350℉ (176℃) and place the pan on the middle oven rack.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and when the inner temperature reaches 190℉ (88℃) on an instant read thermometer.
- Place pan on a wire rack to completely cool. Invert pan to remove the loaf.