Crispy Outside, Soft Inside! Golden Ratio Salt Bread Recipe
Crispy Outside, Soft Inside! Golden Ratio Salt Bread Recipe
Popular Favorite! Easy Homemade Salt Bread Recipe for Delicious Baked Goods
Salt bread, with its irresistible charm, sells out quickly even at local bakeries! Enjoy a homemade version that’s crispy on the outside and delightfully buttery and soft on the inside. This recipe is surprisingly not difficult, making it achievable even for beginner home bakers. Detailed instructions are provided so you can experience the joy of freshly baked bread right in your own kitchen!
Salt Bread Dough- Bread flour 200g
- Cake flour 70g
- Sugar 20g
- Salt 5g
- Instant dry yeast 3g
- Milk 180g
- Unsalted butter, softened 15g
- Cold unsalted butter 6 pieces (approx. 18g each)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
In a large bowl, accurately measure and combine 200g of bread flour and 70g of cake flour. Using a mix of flours will result in a softer bread texture.
Step 2
Create three wells in the sifted flour. Place 3g of yeast in one well, 20g of sugar in another, and 5g of salt in the third. It’s important to keep the yeast and salt separate initially, as direct contact can inhibit yeast activity.
Step 3
Pour 180g of milk, gently warmed to a lukewarm temperature (comfortable to the touch), into the dough. Avoid using milk that is too hot, as it can kill the yeast.
Step 4
Now, let’s begin kneading! The dough will initially be quite sticky. In the bowl, repeatedly push and fold the dough for over 10 minutes. It’s like washing a dishcloth – keep folding and kneading until the dough starts to become smooth. Then, slam the dough down on the work surface about 3 times to help develop the gluten structure.
Step 5
Once the dough has achieved some smoothness, add 15g of softened room-temperature butter. Continue to knead using the ‘washcloth’ method (stretching and folding) for another 15 minutes. Ensure the butter is fully incorporated into the dough for a tender salt bread.
Step 6
After the butter is fully integrated, slam the dough down forcefully with the heel of your hand. The dough is ready when you can stretch it thin enough to see your fingers through it – this indicates a well-developed gluten windowpane.
Step 7
Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Place the bowl over another bowl containing warm water (around 45°C or 113°F) to create a warm environment. Cover and let it proof in a warm place for 1 hour, or use your oven’s proofing setting.
Step 8
After the 1-hour proof, gently poke the dough with your finger. If the indentation remains and the dough slowly springs back, it’s perfectly proofed. If it doesn’t spring back, let it proof for an additional 10-20 minutes.
Step 9
Turn the proofed dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently stretch it into a long shape and use a dough scraper to divide it into 6 equal portions, each weighing approximately 75g.
Step 10
Gently shape each piece of dough into a smooth ball, ensuring the seam side is down. This process is called ‘pres-shaping’ or ’round-shaping’.
Step 11
Cover the shaped dough balls loosely with plastic wrap and let them rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. This ‘bench rest’ period allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to shape.
Step 12
Prepare the butter filling by dividing your cold butter into 6 equal pieces, approximately 18g each. Keeping the butter cold is key.
Step 13
After the bench rest, take one dough ball and gently roll it out with a rolling pin into an elongated oval or rectangular shape. Aim for a thickness that isn’t too thin, with the center slightly thicker than the edges.
Step 14
Using your finger, lightly press down the center of the wider side (top edge) of the rolled-out dough.
Step 15
Now, roll the dough up tightly, similar to making a Swiss roll. Start from the pressed edge and roll towards the bottom edge, ensuring there are no air pockets and the roll is firm.
Step 16
Pinch the seam closed at the bottom. Place one of the cold butter pieces into the center of the dough roll and carefully fold the dough edges over to enclose the butter completely. Ensure the butter is well-sealed inside.
Step 17
Place the shaped salt breads onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring they have enough space between them. Cover them again and let them undergo a second proof for about 50 minutes, or until they have increased in size by about 50%.
Step 18
Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (392°F) for 13 minutes. The exact baking time and temperature may vary depending on your oven. Bake until the tops are golden brown.
Step 19
Once baked, carefully transfer the hot salt breads to a wire rack to cool completely. While delicious warm, letting them cool will enhance their crispy texture.
