28/07/2025
นม เนย โยเกิร์ต ครีมเปรี้ยว กับโดว์ ที่ได้ค่ะ
When baking bread, the liquid you choose can make a big difference in texture, flavor, and structure.
Milk, buttermilk, yogurt, and sour cream each bring unique qualities to the dough.
Understanding these differences can help you achieve the best results based on the type of bread you want.
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Water and Fat Content
Each of these ingredients has different water and fat levels, which affect how the dough behaves:
• Milk & Buttermilk: About 90% water, 1-2% fat (milk), and 0.5% fat (buttermilk).
• Yogurt: About 88% water, 4% fat.
• Sour Cream: About 74% water, 18% fat.
Higher fat makes dough softer and stretchier, while lower water content may require slight hydration adjustments when substituting one for another.
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How Each Ingredient Affects Dough
Beyond hydration, acidity and sugar content also play a role:
• Milk is neutral (pH ~7), producing a softer, slightly sweeter loaf.
• Buttermilk, yogurt, and sour cream are acidic (pH ~4.5), leading to a tighter crumb and more complex flavor.
Milk and buttermilk contain around 5% natural sugar, giving bread a darker crust, while yogurt and sour cream have about 4%, resulting in a slightly paler loaf.
In general:
• Milk dough is softer and slightly sticky.
• Buttermilk and yogurt doughs are firmer and hold shape better.
• Sour cream dough is the softest and richest.
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Shaping, Fermentation, and Baking
Fermentation:
Sour cream and milk doughs tend to rise faster, while buttermilk and yogurt doughs take longer due to their acidity.
Shaping:
More acidic doughs are firmer and easier to handle, while milk dough is softer and may need extra folding.
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Baking Results:
• Milk & buttermilk loaves get a darker crust due to higher sugar content.
• Yogurt loaves tend to have a duller crust.
• Sour cream loaves bake up softer with a rich flavor and glossy finish.
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To sum things up...
Wondering which one you should use?
For a softer, richer loaf, use sour cream.
For a balanced, mildly sweet bread, go with milk.
For a slight tang and a tighter crumb, try buttermilk or yogurt.
If your dough is too firm, adding a little extra water can help.
Each option has its advantages depending on the result you’re looking for.
End of post.
As usual, I hope this helps someone.