Bread starter

• 1/6 cup (23 grams) bread flour
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup water

Make the starter: In a small heavy pot, whisk flour, milk and 1/4 cup water together until smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook, stirring often, until thickened but still pourable, about 7-9 minutes (it will thicken more as it cools). When it’s ready, the spoon will leave tracks on the bottom of the pot. Scrape into a measuring cup and lightly cover the surface with plastic wrap. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Bread ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups bread flour
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• ½ cup warm milk
• 4 tablespoons/60 grams unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened at room temperature

Add bread starter, egg, warm milk, softened pieces of butter into bread machine. Spoon dry ingredients on top. Set to regular bread, light crust.