Fun Bread Ideas for Lunar New Year: Cow Milk Bread

Bored of the same ol’ same ol’? If you’re looking for some fun baking bread ideas for the Year of the Cow/Ox, then you have arrived at the right page!

To usher in the lunar new year, how about applying a little twist to your usual bread making to impress your visiting relatives. It makes the perfect conversation topic diversion. Instead of the usual “when are you getting married?” or “did you gain weight?”; now hopefully they will be inquiring “how did you make this bread?” instead!

Using the trusty Tangzhong method, the core and taste of the bread will of course remain the same – so yes, you can expect soft, fluffy, delicious milk bread which you can read more about here. In this post, we are focusing more on the aesthetics that catches the eye.

What I love about this kind of dough layering is that it adds a lot of fun to mundane bread making. You can make all sorts of patterns, mix colors, and you will probably never get an identical loaf. As 2021 Lunar New Year is the year of the cow, I thought it would be fun to mix some black and white in random patches to resemble one.

Using the same ingredients, you can design your bread any way you fancy!

If you think about it, just the zodiac calendar alone has lots of cute animals to draw inspiration from. I am making a mental note to self to take on one every lunar new year as a mini project. Next year I will probably retain the charcoal, swap the white parts for some orange and I will have a bread for the year of the tiger. The following year, maybe some adorable rabbit looking buns. And the year after that (dragon), errr… I will probably just give that a pass.

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This Lunar New Year, instead of the classic “new year, new me” chant, how about “new year, new bread”? After all, it is one mantra that can be attained in a jiffy. 😉

Step-by-step Video Guide

In this video, I share with you how I make this adorable milk bread with cow patches from start to finish.

I particularly love how the cow patches vary ever so slightly on each slice – it’s almost like a surprise as you slice through the bread. And the best thing about this recipe is not having to weigh out each portion equally! You have the freedom to shape it to your own preference.

Do try out this recipe and channel your inner Picasso. I can’t wait to see what masterpieces you produce, so do tag me on Instagram @thebakeanista or let me know in the comment section below. Happy baking and a Happy Chinese Niu (牛) Year!

For other fun bread ideas, you may also want to check out my apple-shaped bun recipe too!

Few Things to Note

When it comes to bread making, there are many factors that will influence your dough and the end product. Recipes should be used as a guide, as you familiarize yourself with the process and dough.

For instance, your dough may require extra kneading time depending on the flour and its protein content. The method used to knead also needs to be taken into account as some machines work the dough quicker, whilst others may require a bit more kneading time.

Temperature and humidity plays a big part in how your dough rises. The amount of time required to proof your dough also varies depending on where you’re based at. For my second proofing, I usually heat up a cup of water in the microwave for 1 minute, then proceed to leave my dough inside the microwave to rise for 25-30 minutes. 

It’s also very important to try to get to know your oven, as every oven is different. My oven heats up quickly so when a recipe calls for 180°C, I sometimes drop it down to 160-170°C. Keep an eye out as the bread is baking. Adjust either the baking temperature or duration according to how your oven behaves. The tip is to have an oven thermometer so you know if your oven is preheated well enough and if it can maintain the heat required to help with the bread’s oven spring.

FAQ

Can I use whole egg instead of just the egg yolk?

By using just egg yolks, we are adding fat, richness and flavour to the bread. The fats from the yolk works to tenderise the crumb and lighten the texture which gives our loaf a rich and soft crumb. You can use the whole egg if you like, but you will have to adjust the recipe accordingly or you’d be adding too much hydration with the addition of the egg whites as well.

Help! My dough is too sticky!

For bread maker users, check the dough 10 minutes into the kneading cycle. It should be smooth and the mixing bowl should be clean by now. If your dough is too sticky to manage, you may add 1 tbsp of flour at a time.

For Thermomix users, if you experience a stickier dough (particularly for TM6 users) you may want to increase to 290g of high protein bread flour in your main dough to be able to better manage the dough. If your dough is still too soft to handle, add 1 tbsp of flour at a time and knead for 15-20 seconds until incorporated.

Lightly oil your hands (and the pastry mat depending on how sticky your dough is) using neutral flavoured oil to shape dough into a ball. Apply the chafing technique by cupping your hands gently around the dough, apply a light, downwards pressure to the sides whilst simultaneously rotating the dough in a circular clockwise motion. Continue doing so until a smooth, even, and round ball is formed. I shared a video of how I perform this technique saved on my Instagram Story highlights.

How do I know if my bread is well proofed and ready to be baked?

You may perform the visual test to check. Lightly press the surface of the proofed dough with the tip of your finger for about 2 seconds and observe how fast the dough bounces back up.

• UNDER-PROOF: If it bounces back up too fast without any indentation, it isn’t ready yet, so give it more time.
• READY TO BAKE: It is supposed to bounce back up slowly, about halfway up and leave a slight indent.
• OVER-PROOFED: If the indent remains without bouncing back up, yes it is over-proofed.

Which oven rack and what oven setting should I use?

I suggest the second rack from bottom. I bake using top and bottom heat, with fan.

When to remove bread from tin?

Upon removing from oven, immediately remove it from the bread tin and let cool on a wire rack. This step is crucial in ensuring there is proper air circulation and that condensation does not happen causing your bread to get wet/soggy at the bottom.

Should I cover the bread as it cools?

It isn’t necessary to do so. By covering with a cloth, the cloth captures the steam that makes its way outwards and acts to soften the crusts. If you prefer crust with more of a bite, then there’s no need to cover the loaf.

When do I slice the bread?

Of course, I understand how hard it is to resist freshly baked bread. But! Slicing into your loaf of bread before it has cooled down completely may sometimes result in wet gummy crumb texture. Always let your bread rest for at the very minimum 30-60 mins, best for 1.5-2 hours. Just like how you would rest your meat after cooking, the same theory applies for your bread. By allowing your bread to cool completely, it helps stabilise the crumb structure.

Once it has completely cooled down, you may store entire loaf and slice only when you wish to consume. This is because the longer you rest it, the easier it will be to slice the bread. If you’re finding it tricky to slice a loaf of freshly baked bread, check out my video on how I slice soft loaves.

Oh no! My bread caved in at the sides after baking. What should I do?

Unfortunately there is nothing we can do to save a bread that has caved in and collapsed. But you could take note of a couple of things that may have potentially caused this and ensure the same does not happen for your next loaf. The collapsing is a result of the exterior wall being too weak to support the structure. There are two reasons that may have caused this:

1) Your bread may potentially be under-baked. Try baking it a little longer to set the wall but if it is browning too much, you could tent the top with foil or baking paper. Alternatively try baking it at a higher temperature during the first 1/3 of the baking time then drop the temperature to finish cooking for the remaining 2/3 of baking duration.

2) Sometimes the bread would also cave in if the dough was over-proofed during second proofing as the whole structure is too weak to support the entire tall loaf. I suggest setting a timer less than the duration you intend to let it proof so you have time leeway. Perform the visual test if need be. 

How to store bread?

Ensure to store bread in airtight container or ziplock bag so the bread can stay soft and last for up to 2-3 days at room temperature.

What do I do with leftovers that I can’t finish in 2-3 days?

If you are unable to finish within the first 2-3 days, it is best to store your bread in the refrigerator since there is no added preservative. Without preservatives, our homemade bread will not stay as soft and fresh as other commercial loaves beyond 3-4 days. Before consuming though, you may want to either toast/steam/microwave.

Perhaps if you would like some fun bread ideas using your Tangzhong Milk Bread leftovers, check out thus video below on how to make Monte Cristo Sandwich – complete with mukbang at the end too! 😉

Have you tried this recipe?

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