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1
Combine the floury ingredients together and mix well.
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2
Warm the water up so it's a bit warmer than body temperature, and add the syrup to dissolve.
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3
Add the cream and milk and mix well.
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4
Note: Adjust the amount of water from between 60 to 65 g, depending on the flour used, the humidity, etc.
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5
Add the liquid mixture from step 1 to the flour ingredients.
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6
Mix until it's no longer floury, then start kneading.
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7
You can do this in a bread machine, a mixer, or by hand.
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8
When the dough has been kneaded enough to form a gluten film (the dough can be stretched out to a thin film), divide it into 8 to 10 pieces with a pastry scraper or similar.
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9
Return the dough pieces to the mixer, add the shortening and knead it in.
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10
When the dough has formed a good stretchy gluten film, the kneading is done.
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11
Round it off so that the surface is smooth and taut, put into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise (1st rising).
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12
It should be OK to let it rise in the bread machine too.
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13
I used my oven's bread-rising setting at 30 to 40C, and let it rise for 60 to 80 minutes.
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14
It will increase to 2.5 its original volume.
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15
Divide the risen dough into 7 portions.
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16
Round out each portion with a taut, smooth surface.
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17
Cover with a tightly wrung out moistened kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
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18
After the dough has rested, deflate it completely, and round it off again with a smooth, taut surface.
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19
Pinch the seams securely closed.
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20
Put the dough on a baking sheet lined with kitchen parchment paper.
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21
Dust with bread flour (not listed in ingredients) using a tea strainer.
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22
Press down in the middle of each dough ball with floured chopsticks to make a dent.
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23
Press down firmly until the dough is almost cut in half.
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24
Let the dough rise again using the oven's bread-rising setting, 40 minutes or so at 30 to 40C, until they have doubled in bulk.
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25
Start preheating the oven to 180C.
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26
I keep the rolls covered with a tightly wrung out moistened kitchen towel even while they are waiting for the oven to heat up.
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27
When the oven has finished preheating, lower the temperature to 160C and bake the rolls for 10 minutes, then lower to 150C and bake for another 5 minutes, for a total of 15 minutes.
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28
Watch it as it bakes, and if it looks like the tops are changing color, cover immediately with foil.
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29
The baking time and temperature may differ depending on your own oven, so please watch it as it bakes, and adjust.
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30
This produces the best, feather-light white bread!
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31
It is sooo good when freshly baked!
