Sourdough Plant Based Milk Bread

1. Levain - before you go to bed 

Build the Levian. Mix all the ingredients listed in the levain build, cover loosely and let it ferment overnight.

2. Next morning - Make roux (tangzhong)

Place coconut milk and flour into a small pot and cook over a medium heat stirring constantly. Once the mixture has thickened, transfer it to a bowl and let it cool to a room temperature. 

You can do this step the night before. Cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature. 

3. Make the dough 

Place all the ingredients, except butter and flax seeds, into the bowl of a stand mixer. Knead on low speed until dough comes together and starts looking smooth, this may take 10-15 minutes. Add butter, in few batches, and continue kneading on low speed until the dough becomes shiny and it pulls away from the side of the mixer bowl, it will take about 20 minutes. Add flax seeds, and knead on low speed for a minute, until the seeds are well incorporated.

4. Bulk fermentation 

Place the dough into a large bowl, cover and let it proof at 26ºC. 

During the bulk fermentation perform 4 sets of stretch and folds. Let the dough rest 45 minutes (covered) between sets. After the last set of stretch and folds let the dough rest for additional hour. The dough will double and it will have some bubbles on the surface. 

5. Preshape

Dump the dough from the bowl onto an un-floured work table/counter, divide into four equal pieces, shape them into rounds and let it rest covered for 15 minutes. 

6. Shape & Retard

Oil two 22L x 12W x 11H cm loaf tins. Set aside while you shape the dough.

Lighlty dust your work table. Working with one piece of the dough at a time, flaten and roll each round into a 18x9 cm strip. Roll each strip, starting from the short side, into a tight cilinder. Place two clinders, side by side into each loaf tin. Cover and place it the refrigerator for over night proof. 

7. Final proof - the next morning 

Take the tins out of the refrigerator and let the loaves proof at 24-26ºC for 3-4 hours. They will be ready when they rise up to 2 cm from the edge of the tin.

8. Bake 

Preheat the oven to 190ºC. Glaze the loaves with milk and syrup mixture, place in the oven and bake for about 40 min. 

Happy baking!