• I use a small Pullman loaf pan that measures 9 x 4 x 4 inch. For recipe adjustment to fit a different loaf pan, please see my post below

Scald the milk:

• Put the milk in a saucepan and bring it just until it starts to simmer. Turn off the heat immediately. You don't want to boil the milk. If you have an instant-read thermometer, it should be around 170 F (77 C). Scalding the milk helps to deactivate the whey protein in the milk that interferes with gluten development. Let the milk cool down to lukewarm before using as we don't want to kill the yeast
  
• I have tried making the dough with scalded milk and without the scalded milk. The one without the scalded milk, never rose as tall as the one with scalded milk.

Prepare the dough:

• Put all ingredients, including the already cooled-down scalded milk in a large mixing bowl. Use a sturdy spatula to stir into a wet shaggy dough. Don't handle the dough with your hand at this stage. It's sticky. Cover with a cling wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes
  

3 sets of stretch and fold (every 30 minutes):

• After 30 minutes, lightly wet your fingers, scoop and grab the edge of the dough from the bottom and gently wiggle it up to stretch it as far as it allows you to (don't force it and tear the dough)
  
• Then fold over to the center. Repeat this with the next edge. You can probably do about 4-5 stretches and folds for this first round.
  
• Round it up into a dough ball with the smooth side up. Cover it back again and rest for another 30 minutes
  
• Perform the second sets of stretch and fold like you did before. Notice the dough gets stronger now and not as slack. It won't allow you to stretch as far as the first round. You can probably do about 4 stretches and folds. Cover and rest for another 30 minutes
  
• After the 3rd sets of stretch and fold, cover and let the dough proof until it double in size at a warm place, this may take 30 minutes to 1 hour
  
• This is after the dough has doubled in volume
  

Shaping:

• Deflate the dough by folding the dough towards the center to push all the air out. Round it up into a dough ball, cover and rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten
• Lightly dust your work surface. Transfer the dough on it. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a rectangle, roughly about 14 x 10 inches
  
• Fold both sides (shorter side) to meet at the center
  
• Then roll tightly into a log, roughly about as long as the pan. Pinch the dough to seal each time you roll to create tension and to make it tight. Push out as much air as you can to prevent big holes in the crumbs later
  
• 

Final proof:

• Lightly grease the 9 x 4 x 4 inches Pullman loaf pan and its lid (if you plan to use i). You can also bake this in a 9 x 5 x 2 3/4 inches loaf pan. This gives you a shorter but wider loaf of bread
• Place the log inside the loaf pan. Push the dough down to fit the pan and to even out the dough.
  
• Cover and let the dough proof until it is about 1-inch below the rim if you plan to use the lid with your Pullman pan. Slide the cover close
  
• If you use 9 x 5 x 2 3/4 inch loaf pan, proof until the dough is about 1-inch above the rim. This may take somewhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour or longer at warm temperature around 82 F. Don't go by the time however, observe the dough instead

Baking:

• 10 minutes before the end of final proofing, preheat the oven to 375 F (190C) for conventional oven, 350 F (180 C) for convection oven
• Put the pan in the oven's middle rack. Bake for 30 minutes if you use Pullman pan with the lid, then open the lid and bake for another 5 minutes. If you bake it in a regular pan, bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Tent the loaf with aluminum foil if it gets dark before the end of cooking time. The internal temperature at the center of the bread should be at least 190 F (88 C)
  

Cooling:

• Gently wiggle the bread out of the pan and let it cool off on a cooling rack completely before slicing the bread

How to store:

• Let the bread cool down completely. You can keep them in an air-tight container for 3 days. They can also be kept frozen for up to 1 month in the freezer