This Gluten-Free Leopard Milk Bread is soft and tender with a crisp, thin crust. I find it to be very similar to Brioche Bread, so if you like sweetbreads you definitely need to give it a try.
The recipe uses a Japanese technique called Tangzhong or " water roux" which makes the bread extra fluffy. But this is not just a regular bread and that's not only because of the way it looks but also because of the flavor. Perfectly sweetened with mild flavors of orange and chocolate make this bread is the perfect dessert or mid-day snack. And don't get discouraged because of the way it looks, it's very easy to make!
What ingredients you will need?
For the Tangzhong (water roux):
- Gluten-Free Flour Mix
- Water
For the Bread:
- Gluten-Free Flour Mix
- Cream of tartar
- Granulated Sugar
- Instant yeast
- pinch of salt
- apple cider vinegar
- egg
- warm milk
- unsalted butter
- vanilla extract
- orange zest
For the Chocolate Paste:
- Cocoa Powder
- Milk
For the Dark Chocolate Paste
- Cocoa Powder
- Dark Chocolate Melted (or black food color)
- Milk
How to Make This Gluten-Free Leopard Milk Bread?
To make this bread you will need to follow 5 simple steps:
STEP 1 - MAKE THE THANGZONG (WATER ROUGH)
In a small saucepan, place the roux ingredients and whisk to combine well. Cook the roux over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened enough that the whisk leaves a visible trail. Allow it to come to room temperature before baking with it.
STEP 2 - MAKE THE DOUGH
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, the flour, cream of tartar, sugar and yeast, and whisk with a separate handheld whisk to combine well. Add the kosher salt, and whisk once again to combine.
Add the vinegar, egg, milk, butter, vanilla extract & orange zest, and water roux, and mix well at low speed. Once the dry ingredients have been incorporated into the wet ingredients, turn the mixer up to high speed and allow to mix for about 3 minutes. The dough should be shaggy and tacky to the touch.
Remove dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface.
Weigh your dough and divide it into two halves.
Lightly dust one half with flour, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in the fridge.
Take the second half and evenly divide it into two halves. (you will need them to make the chocolate doughs)
STEP 3 - MAKE THE CHOCOLATE DOUGH
To make the chocolate dough you will first need to make the chocolate paste:
To make the chocolate paste combine cocoa powder with milk. Then take one of the two halves and mix it with the paste.
STEP 4 - MAKE THE DARK CHOCOLATE DOUGH
To make the dark chocolate paste, you will need to combine cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate (or black food color), and milk. Then take the other half of the dough and mix it with the paste.
You should now have one dark chocolate ball of dough and one light chocolate ball of dough.
STEP 5 - MAKE THE LOAF
Weigh the white ball of dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Repeat with the light and dark chocolate dough balls. You should now have 24 pieces of dough.
Start by rolling each of the light brown pieces into a small hot dog shape. Then using a rolling pin roll each of the dark chocolate chunks into a flat oval. Place the light chocolate sausage onto the 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. Now take the white dough and roll it into an 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 seams. 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 8 logs. Now, roll each log lengthwise with your hands, until it becomes doubled in length. Like a long snake.
STEP 6 - BAKE THE LOAF
Prepare a loaf pan with parchment paper. Stack dough logs into the pan.
Cover with a light tea towel and place in a draft-free warm location to puff and double in size. At least an hour. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Then turn down to 350 F (176 C) and place the loaf into the oven.
Bake for 40-50 minutes
Gluten-Free Leopard Milk Bread
Ingredients
For the "Water Roux"
- 3 tablespoon gluten free flour mix
- ½ cup water
For the Dough
- 429 g (3 cups) gluten-free flour mix
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 70 g (⅔ cups) granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoon (8g ) instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinger
- 1 egg (at room temperature)
- 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) lukewarm lactose-free milk
- 50 g (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter
- water roux (at room temperature)
- zest from 1 orange
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Paste
- 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon Milk
For the Dark Chocolate Paste
- 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 40 g melted dark chocolate or (1 teaspoon black food color)
- 1 tablespoon Milk
Instructions
To Make The "Water Roux"
- In a small saucepan, place the roux ingredients and whisk to combine well. Cook the roux over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened enough that the whisk leaves a visible trail. Allow it to come to room temperature before baking with it.
To Make The Bread
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, the flour, cream of tartar, sugar and yeast, and whisk with a separate handheld whisk to combine well. Add the kosher salt, and whisk once again to combine.
- Add the vinegar, egg, milk, butter, vanilla extract & orange zest, and water roux, and mix well at low speed. Once the dry ingredients have been incorporated into the wet ingredients, turn the mixer up to high speed and allow to mix for about 3 minutes. The dough should be shaggy and tacky to the touch.
- Remove dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Weigh your dough and divide it into two halves.
- Lightly dust one half with flour, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in the fridge. Take the second half and evenly divide it into two halves.(you will need them to make the chocolate doughs)
To Make the Chocolate Paste
- To make the chocolate paste combine cocoa powder with milk. Then take one of the two halves and mix it with the paste.
To Make the Dark Chocolate Paste
- To make the dark chocolate paste, you will need to combine cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate (or black food color), and milk. Then you need to the other half of the dough and mix it with the paste.
- Work the chocolate into the dough with your hands. Kneading to incorporate all the chocolate into each dough.
- You should now have one dark chocolate ball of dough and one light chocolate ball of dough.Lightly flour each ball, cover it in plastic wrap and set it in the fridge.Let all three dough balls chill for about 60-90 minutes.
- Remove all three dough balls from the fridge. Weigh the white ball of dough and divide into 8 equal pieces.Repeat with the light and dark chocolate dough balls.You should now have 24 pieces of dough.
- Start by rolling each of the light brown pieces into a small hot dog shape.Then using a rolling pin roll each of the dark chocolate hunks into flat oval.Place the light chocolate sausage onto the 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. Now take the white dough and toll into an oval with the rolling pin. Now take the white dough and toll into an 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 8 logs.
- Now, roll each log lengthwise with your hands, until it becomes doubled in length. Like a long snake.
- Prepare loaf pan with parchment paper
- Stack dough logs into the pan.
- Cover with a light tea towel and place in a draft free warm location to puff and double in size. At least an hour.
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).Then turn down to 350 F (176 C) and place loaf into the oven.Bake for 40-50 minutes
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