For what culinary reason would a bread recipe choose skim milk?

Skim milk is specified for the whole wheat bread recipe list included with my new bread maker. Is there a particular culinary reason to specify skim milk not skim milk/whole milk? The other ingredients are whole wheat flour, self-raising flour, salt, sugar and yeast.

bread milk

Best Answer

Skim milk contains less fat than whole milk. Fats limit the formation of gluten in bread dough to some extent, leading to a tighter, 'softer' crumb. As the milk is apparently the only source of water in your recipe, the recipe authors could have tried to limit the amount of fat.

That said, there is also a good chance the reason for skim milk is health-related.

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What does skim milk do in bread?

The type of sugar found in milk, lactose, has little sweetening power and does not ferment, so in dough made with skim milk powder, sugar has to be added or the fermentation will be very slow. While lactose is not fermentable, it caramelizes readily in the oven and produces a healthy crust colour.

What would be the reason for replacing whole milk with skim milk in a recipe?

By using a cup of skim milk instead a cup of whole milk in your baking recipe, you decrease the amount of saturated fat in the end product by 4.46 grams. This might not be a significant difference if you are then splitting your recipe into several servings.

Can I use skim milk to make bread?

You can substitute low fat or skim milk in just about any recipe that calls for milk, but because the recipe was probably designed to work with a little more fat in it, you should mix carefully so that your product doesn't become tough from overmixing.

Why is skim milk important?

Which is Better for Health? Reduced-fat milk and skim milk have fewer calories and higher amounts of vitamins than whole milk (thanks to fortification). They also have less saturated fat, which has been shown in studies to raise your "bad" cholesterol and put you at a higher risk for heart disease.

How To Make A Super Soft Milk Bread Loaf | Easy To Make

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