Foreigners' Dale Bread
Having tasted store-bought dale bread, the ingredients are truly excessive, with plenty of raisins. However, the sweetness of raisins makes it feel overly greasy. Making it yourself is a different story. You can flexibly control the amount used, reducing the sweetness to make it irresistibly delicious. Moreover, you can add your favorite dried fruits as you like. It's the same dale bread, but not the same as the store-bought one! In terms of texture, it perfectly replicates store-bought dale bread, but I personally find the taste even better — not too sweet or greasy, with a perfect balance of wheat and milk flavors. ⭐ The steps are explained in great detail, so pay attention to the details. This recipe yields two loaves of bread, with each loaf weighing about 1 pound.
Ingredients
Steps
Add eggs + milk + sugar + salt + milk powder + high-gluten flour + yeast into the mixing bowl in order. Use chopsticks to stir into clumps, then knead into a dough. Add butter and continue kneading until smooth (no need for a windowpane test, but the dough must be smooth). Let it rest in an environment of 26-28°C for about 30 minutes (no need to double in size; 30 minutes suffices).
During the resting stage, prepare the raisins. Wash them clean, soak them for 20 minutes, and pat dry for later use.
For dried nuts, I used roasted cashews, pecans, pistachios, almonds, and hazelnuts. Chop them up for later use. (The purpose of chopping is to ensure the surface of the dough remains smooth during shaping, but don’t chop too finely; uniform particle size is ideal. You can swap in nuts of your choice, but make sure they’re roasted. I used canned roasted salted nuts. If yours are raw, remember to roast them in advance.)
After the first rise, evenly divide the dough into two portions. No need to knead; directly roll out into a large sheet. Fold it once, then roll it out again into a rectangle. (The dough sheet shown is 30cm by 20cm. If the dough is hard to roll, cover it with cling film and let it sit for a few minutes before trying again. Try to make it even in shape, as this yields a better-looking roll.) Sprinkle raisins and nuts over it. Use a rolling pin to press lightly, helping the ingredients adhere better. Then roll it up tightly from either the left or right. After rolling, shape it evenly so the thickness is consistent. Place the seam underneath. Gently press with your hand to turn the round shape, as viewed from the side, into an oval shape reduced in height by about one-third.
For more clarity, refer here for a simple and straightforward explanation! But when pressing, don’t be overly rough — be gentle.
Cover with cling film and let rise in a 38°C environment for the second proof, about 40-50 minutes. The dough should visibly expand. (Since the dough has low moisture, to prevent drying out during proofing, place a bowl of hot water in the oven to increase humidity.)
After the second proof, preheat the oven to 170°C. Using a sharp blade, swiftly and decisively cut deep slits into the dough, exposing a layer of nuts. Evenly brush with egg wash. (Cut the slits before brushing the egg wash to ensure the exposed areas after cutting are coated as well.)
Bake on a lower-middle rack at 170°C for 50 minutes. Check the coloration 10-13 minutes into baking. Once the slits start browning, cover with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. If left uncovered for too long, the bread may darken excessively. After covering with foil, reduce the bottom heat to 160°C and continue baking. (For ovens without independent upper and lower temperature controls, lower to 165°C for both to avoid excessive darkening on the bottom.)
After baking, let cool thoroughly before slicing. The flavor improves after resting overnight. When the bread still feels warm to the touch, wrap and seal it in a bag for storage. It can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. Freeze any leftovers for longer preservation.