Matcha Swirl Loaf

This bread has a nice super-soft chewy texture, plus it’s visually pleasing; each swirly slice will make you smile. It requires a bit of preparation but it yields two loaves, you could freeze one for the next week, or give one to a friend or neighbor: They’ll love you forever! A slice of this bread in the morning always feels a little special.

MATCHA SWIRL LOAF [VEGAN]

INGREDIENTS

WATER ROUX (TANGZHONG):

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup water

MATCHA DOUGH:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon matcha powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup almond milk, warm
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 of water roux (tangzhong) mixture from above
• 3 tablespoons vegan butter, softened

PLAIN DOUGH:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup almond milk, warm
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 of water roux (tangzhong) mixture from above
• 3 tablespoons vegan butter, softened

PREPARATION

1. First, make water the water roux (tangzhong). In a small bowl, mix flour and water and whisk until smooth and there are no lumps. Heat over medium heat, and stir constantly as mixture heats up and begins to thicken.
2. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens to a paste or reaches a temperature of 150°F. Remove from heat and let mixture cool completely and come to room temperature before use.

MAKING THE DOUGH WITH A BREAD MACHINE:

1. Add ingredients (including 1/2 of water roux mix) to the bucket of the bread machine in the suggested order per machine’s instructions (e.g. wet ingredients first then dry ingredients or vice versa), select the dough or manual cycle to prepare dough.
2. Place dough in a large oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 40 mins to 1 hour. Repeat process with the plain dough.

MAKING THE DOUGH WITH A STAND MIXER:

1. Combine flour, matcha powder, yeast, sugar and salt in the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
2. In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, combine milk and mix in ground flaxseed and vanilla extract.
3. Make a well in the center of flour mixture (in the bowl of the stand mixer) and pour in the milk mixture and water roux (tangzhong).
4. Mix on medium speed until dough starts to come together, add butter and continue mixing until dough comes together completely, forms a smooth ball and is elastic when you pull at it. (You can also mix by hand in a large bowl).
5. Place dough in a large oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 40 minutes to an hour. Repeat process with the plain dough.

BAKING:

1. While waiting for dough to rise, lightly grease 2 9-inch or medium-sized loaf pans and set aside.
2. When dough has risen, transfer to a clean flour-dusted work-surface, punch it down, divide into two and roll out each dough roughly into an 8-inch rectangle at about 1/4-inch in thickness.
3. Place the rolled out matcha dough over the rolled out plain dough and roll both up together, tuck the ends underneath the dough and transfer into prepared loaf pan, repeat the same process for the remaining dough.
4. Cover loosely with a clean towel or plastic wrap and allow dough to rise in a warm place for another 45 minutes to an hour, until it doubles in size.
5. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F.
6. When ready to bake, brush the tops of the loaves with olive oil. Bake loaves for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and baked through (bread should sound hollow when you tap on it).
7. Remove loaves from pan by gently tipping it onto a cooling rack (you may need to lightly loosen the edges with a table knife).
8. Let bread cool completely before slicing.
9. Enjoy!

NOTES

This uses all-purpose flour for the bread but use bread flour if you have it, it’ll make your bread denser and extra chewy. You could also substitute a cup white whole-wheat flour in the recipe, and that would work wonderfully. Additionally, don’t be shy about using your bread machine to prepare the dough.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/matcha-swirl-loaf-vegan/?utm_source=Green+Monster+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=1c8b13c302-NEWSLETTER_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bbf62ddf34-1c8b13c302-106919241