How to Make Perfect Petit Pains au Lait (French Milk Bread)

Petit Pains au Lait (French Milk Bread).

You can have Petit Pains au Lait (French Milk Bread) using 10 ingredients and 15 steps. Here is how you cook it.

Ingredients of Petit Pains au Lait (French Milk Bread)

1. Prepare 3/4 cup of Milk Warm.
2. Prepare 1 teaspoon of Yeast Active dry yeast Instant or 1 and 1/3 teaspoon.
3. It's 1/5 cup of Sugar.
4. You need 2 and 2/3 cup of All Purpose Flour.
5. It's 1 Tablespoon of Wheat Vital Gluten (optional).
6. It's 1/3 teaspoon of salt.
7. Prepare 4 Tablespoons of Butter , soft at room temperature.
8. It's of Milk Extra for brushing.
9. Prepare of sugar Pearl or Granulated for topping (optional).
10. It's 2/3 cup of bread flour All purpose flour bread flour If you have strong , substitute of for.

Petit Pains au Lait (French Milk Bread) step by step

1. Mix the warm milk, sugar and yeast. Let the yeast proof for a couple minutes. (if using instant yeast, it will not bubble).
2. Mix together flour, vital wheat gluten, salt and add the yeast mixture. Knead by hand for 10-15 minutes or by an electric dough mixer for 8-10 minutes until you have a smooth and elastic dough. Add a little more milk (in teaspoonful at a time), if your dough is dry, until you have the required consistency of dough. Place in an oiled bowl, cover and let it rise for 1-2 hours or until it has doubled in volume..
3. Turn the dough out onto your working surface. You shouldn’t need any flour, but if you feel the need, just lightly dust your palms with it. Deflate the dough gently, and divide it into equal pieces (depending on how big or small you want your rolls to be). Let them rest for 10 minutes..
4. Grease and line a baking sheet..
5. Roll out each piece of dough, one at a time, into a circle about 4 inches in diameter. (you could make a bigger circle for bigger rolls).
6. Slowly roll up the circle from one end, Swiss roll/ jelly roll style into a cylinder..
7. Pinch the seam closed neatly, and place them on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet with the seam side facing down..
8. Cover loosely and let them rise for half an hour or until the rolls have almost double in size..
9. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200 C (if using convection oven, reduce to 170 or 180 C).
10. Brush them lightly with milk..
11. Using a pair of sharp scissors, make diagonal cuts (not too deep) on the top of the rolls..
12. Optionally, sprinkle pearl sugar/ granulated sugar..
13. Bake them at 200C (400F) for about 15 minutes or so until they’re golden brown. Let them cool on a rack. While they are cooling, lightly brush them with milk.
14. Serve them warm or at room temperature with coffee or chilled flavoured milk, or at breakfast..
15. This recipe makes around 10 medium sized Petit Pains au Lait. They’re best eaten the same day, though you could warm them up and serve the next day..