Vegan Master Sweet Dough
The Vegan Master Sweet Dough is a versatile bread dough made with soy milk, sugar, butter (or oil), and bread flour, optionally incorporating a tangzhong starter for softness and extended freshness. Yeast is used to leaven the dough which creates a rich, tender crumb ideal for sweet breads or buns. The dough requires mixing and kneading, making it suitable for various baked goods that benefit from a soft, slightly sweet base.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp yeast you can double this if you're in a hurry, dry
- 1 cup soy milk can sub with any milk of your choice, homemade
- ¼ cup water (*only if following the optional Tangzhong step; see Note 1)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 6 tbsp butter (*can sub with 75g oil)
- 3 cups bread flour see Note 2, or all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
Tangzhong *optional
- Take 1/4 cup of the flour (30g) and put it in a small saucepan along with 1/4 cup water (60g). Set on medium-low heat and whisk until a smooth paste forms with no lumps (or very few).
- Pour in 1/4 cup of the soy milk (60g) and continue whisking until a thick slurry forms (like a roux).
- Remove from heat and let cool until comfortable to touch before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.
Sweet Dough
- If using active dry yeast, dissolve the yeast and sugar in soy milk and let stand for 10 minutes before proceeding with recipe. (If using instant yeast, you can skip this step.)
- Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl. (Remember, if you chose to make the tangzhong, you will be adding only 3/4 cup soy milk (180g) and 2¾ cups flour (360g) here. Also make sure to add the tangzhong you just made too.)
- Using the stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix the ingredients together. Once the ingredients have been roughly incorporated into a shaggy mess, let the mixer knead it for 12 minutes. (See Knead By Hand section for instructions if you don’t have a stand mixer.)
- The dough should be smooth and slightly tacky. You are now ready to use this vegan master sweet dough in any enriched bread recipe. (If not using immediately, please see the Make Ahead & Storage Tips section for how to store your dough.) Below is an example of a simple sandwich loaf you can make with this dough.
One-Rise Sandwich Loaf
- Divide the dough into three or four pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball.
- Place the balls in a loaf pan (see Note 3). Cover and let rise until nearly doubled in size (should be around 1 inch away from the top of the loaf pan. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 °F.
- Bake uncovered for 40 minutes on the middle rack. If you have a food thermometer, the inside of the bread should reach 190 °F.
- Let the bread sit for 10 minutes inside the pan, then turn it out onto a cooling rack. Cool fully before slicing.
Notes
- Tangzhong pre-cooking of flour and liquids improves bread softness and freshness over days.
- Adjust flour amount slightly based on local humidity and flour type for optimal dough texture.
- If using active dry yeast, proof with warm soy milk and sugar before mixing dough.
- The dough may be sticky when using tangzhong; avoid adding extra flour to maintain softness.
- Standard 8x4 or 9x5 loaf pans can be used; baking times may differ slightly with ceramic pans.
- Increasing butter from 4 to 6 tablespoons enriches the dough and eases shaping.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 3 cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 774
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 774kcal | 39% |
| Carbohydrates | 114g | 38% |
| Protein | 19g | 38% |
| Fat | 26g | 40% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 8g | 47% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Sodium | 1047mg | 44% |
| Potassium | 287mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 18g | 36% |
| Vitamin A | 1018IU | 20% |
| Vitamin C | 0.4mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 50mg | 5% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.