Although dark as night, this squid ink milk bread recipe subverts the senses. Despite the deep black color, the squid ink barely adds any flavor. Instead, your tasted buds are treated to regular, sweet milk bread!
So this is a redo of Day 6 of my Bread Challenge. I attempted to make this squid ink bread but I didn’t use the proper ingredient! It turned out brown and looked really disgusting. I almost threw it away but your YouTube comments asked me to bake it. You can see how that turned out on YouTube (link).
For this recipe I ordered cuttlefish ink. Cuttlefish isn’t squid but the ink can be used interchangeably. Here is an Amazon affiliate link to the one I bought.
For this squid ink milk bread recipe, I adapted this one from the NY Times. I did not create a starter. Instead I used instant yeast. You could use this recipe and omit the squid ink for a naturally colored sweet milk bread.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour. (360 grams)
- 1/4 cup sugar. (60 grams)
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast. (7 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt (4 grams)
- 1 egg
- 1/3-3/4 cup milk. (160-180 milliliters)
- 4 tablespoons oil (60 grams)
- 2 tbsp cuttlefish/squid ink
Directions
1. Using a stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt (again remember to keep the salt and yeast separate until mixing).
2. Add egg, milk and ink. Knead the dough on low speed for 5 minutes.
3. Add oil and knead on medium for 10 to 12 minutes. After this knead, the dough should be smooth and a little tacky
4. In an oiled bowl, place the dough and proof for at least 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size. You can used the stand mixer bowl.
5. Punch down the dough and shape it. Let it proof for at least 30 minutes. I decided to shape it into a couple squids but you can do simple rolls or just one large loaf.
Before proof 
After proof
6. Place the dough on a parchment paper lined baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 350F for about 30 minutes. Because the dough is a dark color, it is difficult to see if the bread is ready or burnt. At this point, you’ll have to use your best judgment. Remember that a single large loaf will take longer to bake than multiple small rolls.
7. When finished baking, remove from oven and let dough cool.
8. Enjoy!
Video
Recipe
Squid Ink Milk Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour (360 grams)
- 1/4 cup sugar (60 grams)
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast (7 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt (4 grams)
- 1 egg
- 1/3 – 3/4 cup milk (160 to 180 ml)
- 4 tablespoons oil (60 grams)
- 2 tablespoon cuttlefish or squid ink
Instructions
- Using a stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt (again remember to keep the salt and yeast separate until mixing).
- Add egg, milk and ink. Knead the dough on low speed for 5 minutes.
- Add oil and knead on medium for 10 to 12 minutes. After this knead, the dough should be smooth and a little tacky
- In an oiled bowl, place the dough and proof for at least 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size. You can used the stand mixer bowl.
- Punch down the dough and shape it. Let it proof for at least 30 minutes. I decided to shape it into a couple squids but you can do simple rolls or just one large loaf.
- Place the dough on a parchment paper lined baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 350F for about 30 minutes. Because the dough is a dark color, it is difficult to see if the bread is ready or burnt. At this point, you’ll have to use your best judgment. Remember that a single large loaf will take longer to bake than multiple small rolls.
- When finished baking, remove from oven and let dough cool.
- Enjoy!