Scenario 1 (prove for 5-6 hours)

1. In a large bowl, add flour, salt sugar and yeast. Give it a quick mix.

2. In a glass, add water and milk. If your milk just came out from the fridge, you’ll need to warm it over low heat or microwave for a few seconds, until the mixture comes to blood temperature or room temperature.

3. Make a well in the bowl of dry ingredients, add in the milk mixture. Use a spatula (as it’s going to stick on your hand if you happen to use hand), mix until it comes together.

4. Spread the softened butter into the dough. Spread evenly. You can use 1 tbsp of oil but I prefer butter as it gives a buttery fragrant in the bread.

5. Cover with a cling film. Leave it in room temp or a warm place for about 5-6 hours or until the size tripled. I live in hot country, it only took about 4 hours to triple the size. For cold country, probably about 6 hours. There is no rule that I should stop at 4 hours, I go still go on for another hour if I want.

6. Fold the dough a few time, the dough will deflate like how it was, that’s normal. Fold a few times until it comes together like a ball again. Cover with cling film. Let it sit for another 30-45 min or until the size doubled.

7. Grease a loaf pan. I used 7x5x4 inch loaf pan.

8. After about 30-45 min, work the dough on a table top. Lightly flour the table top. Place the dough on the table top. Press out the air as much as can as you fold the dough. Place the dough into the prepared loaf pan. Press down the dough as much as you can to push out the air pockets.

9. Cover with cling film. Let it sit for another 45-60 min or until the dough reaches the top.

10. I used the pan cover to cover, but that’s optional. I just want my loaf to be in rectangular shape.

11. Bake in preheated oven at 190°C/275°F for 35 min.

12. As soon as the bread is out of the oven, remove the bread from the pan and let it cool on the cooling rack. Let it cool completely before slicing.

Scenario 2 (prove the dough overnight in fridge)

1. In a large bowl, add flour, salt sugar and yeast. Give it a quick mix.

2. In a glass, add water and milk. If your milk just came out from the fridge, you’ll need to warm it over low heat or microwave for a few seconds, until the mixture comes to blood temperature or room temperature.

3. Make a well in the bowl of dry ingredients, add in the milk mixture. Use a spatula (as it’s going to stick on your hand if you happen to use hand), mix until it comes together.

4. Spread the softened butter into the dough. Spread evenly. You can use 1 tbsp of oil but I prefer butter as it gives a buttery fragrant in the bread.

5. Cover with a cling film. Let the dough work in the fridge overnight.

6. The next day, remove the dough from fridge. The dough size seems doubled. The dough is cold. Let it sit in room temp for at least 30 min to bring it down to room temp.

7. Grease a loaf pan. I used 7x5x4 inch loaf pan.

8. After about 30 min, work the dough on a table top. Lightly flour the table top. Place the dough on the table top. You may use a roller to roll out the dough and press out the air as much as can as you roll the dough. Roll up the dough in shape. Place the dough into the prepared loaf pan. Press down the dough as much as you can to push out the air pockets.

9. Cover with cling film. Let it sit for another 45-60 min or until the dough reaches the top.

10. I used the pan cover to cover, but that’s optional. I just want my loaf to be in rectangular shape.

11. Bake in preheated oven at 190°C/275°F for 35 min.

12. As soon as the bread is out of the oven, remove the bread from the pan and let it cool on the cooling rack. Let it cool completely before slicing.