Chu's Bread With Condensed Milk & Peanut Butter Recipe

Activate & mix dough

Warm the milk to about 105–115°F (40–46°C). In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm milk, sugar and instant yeast. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy. Add the egg and softened butter and whisk to combine.

Add flour and salt. With a dough hook or wooden spoon, mix until ingredients come together into a shaggy dough (about 2–3 minutes by mixer on low, a bit longer by hand).

Knead dough until smooth and elastic: by stand mixer on medium-low (speed 2) for 6–8 minutes, or by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes. Dough should be soft, slightly tacky but not sticky; add up to 1–2 tbsp more flour if excessively sticky.

First rise: Form dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel, and let rise in a warm draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 60–90 minutes depending on room temperature.

Prepare filling: In a small bowl, stir together peanut butter and condensed milk until smooth and slightly loose (this makes it easier to spread). If mixture is very thick, warm briefly (10–15 seconds in microwave) and stir again.

After the dough has doubled, gently deflate it and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a roughly 12x10 inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.

Spread the peanut butter/condensed milk mixture evenly across the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along one long edge. If desired, sprinkle the chopped toasted peanuts sparingly over the filling for crunch.

Roll up the dough tightly from the long edge with the filling (like a jelly roll), sealing the bare edge with gentle pinching. Pinch the ends to seal so filling doesn't ooze out.

Divide the roll into 8 equal pieces (about 1.25–1.5 inches each). Place pieces cut-side up in a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan or arrange in a lined 9-inch round pan so they bake touching (for pull-apart loaf). Cover loosely and let rise for 30–45 minutes until puffy.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) while the rolls complete their second rise.

Make egg wash: Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water and brush lightly over the top of the rolls. Optionally brush melted butter on exposed dough edges before baking for richer color.

Bake in preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers about 190°F (88°C). If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 5–10 minutes.

Remove from oven and immediately brush the top with the reserved 1 tablespoon melted butter and, if desired, sprinkle 1 teaspoon granulated sugar for a slight crunch. Let cool in the pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool another 20–30 minutes before slicing or pulling apart.