Ingredients
- 500g (4 cups) bread flour, plus more for dusting
- 8g (2¾ tsp) instant yeast
- 10g (1 ¾ tsp) salt
- 200g (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) cold water
- 200g (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) milk (2% or whole)
- 57g (4 tbsp) butter, melted
- olive oil or softened butter, for coating and greasing
Directions
- Whisk together flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Add water, milk, and melted butter; stir with a spatula until a sticky, shaggy dough forms. Cover and rest 30–60 minutes.
- With a wet hand, stretch and fold the dough by grabbing an edge and pulling toward the center. Rotate and repeat until smooth and cohesive, about 4–6 folds around the bowl.
- Drizzle the dough with a little olive oil and rub to coat. Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled, 2–3 hours.
- Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with softened butter or olive oil.
- Deflate the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into a roughly 8×16-inch rectangle. Starting at one short end, roll into a tight coil and transfer to the pan. Rub the surface with 1 tsp olive oil.
- Let rise until the dough crowns the rim, ~1 hour. When the dough approaches the rim, preheat oven to 375°F.
- Bake 45 minutes, until deep golden brown on top and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
- Turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Yeast: For a slower rise with more developed flavor, reduce to 2g — expect 8–10 hours instead of 2–3.
- Storage: Store in an airtight bag at room temperature for 3–4 days, or freeze for up to 6 months.
- Pan: A nonstick or USA pan can use olive oil alone for greasing; butter is more reliable for other pans.