Crispy, Chewy, and Buttery Homemade Salt Bread (Sogeumppang)
Baking Perfect Salt Bread at Home: A Crispy, Chewy, and Flavorful Recipe
Bake the most irresistible salt bread at home anytime! It boasts an incredible crispiness on the outside and a wonderfully chewy texture inside, with a rich, buttery flavor that intensifies with every bite. Especially during summer, the dough ferments quickly at room temperature, making it even easier to enjoy delicious salt bread. This recipe perfectly recreates the taste I first fell in love with at a famous salt bread bakery in Seongsu-dong. It’s crispy outside, chewy inside, and deliciously savory as you chew.
Dough Ingredients- 600g Bread flour (high-gluten flour)
- 9g Instant dry yeast
- 18g Sugar
- 30g Unsalted butter (melted)
- 126g Unsalted butter (cold, cut into cubes)
- 360g Lukewarm water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, in a large mixing bowl, measure and combine the bread flour, sugar, salt, and instant dry yeast. (Be careful not to let the yeast and salt come into direct contact.)
Step 2
Pour the 360g of lukewarm water and the 30g of melted unsalted butter over the dry ingredients. Using a spatula or your hands, mix just until no dry flour is visible. Don’t overmix at this stage.
Step 3
Roughly combine the ingredients until they form a shaggy dough. Don’t worry about developing gluten yet.
Step 4
Now, let’s knead the dough. Knead for about 3 minutes, stretching and folding the dough to develop the gluten. Once the dough becomes more elastic and less likely to tear, cover it and let it rest in a warm place for 10 minutes (bench rest). After resting, knead for another 2 minutes until the dough is smooth and forms a cohesive ball. Place this dough ball in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it undergo its first fermentation (bulk fermentation) in a warm spot for 90 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
Step 5
While the dough is fermenting, prepare the butter for layering. Cut the 126g of cold unsalted butter into roughly 1 to 1.5 cm thick rectangular pieces. Place these butter pieces on a tray and freeze them until firm. This is crucial for creating distinct layers within the bread.
Step 6
Tip: For an even richer flavor, consider using salted butter. If salted butter isn’t available, unsalted butter works well, and you can add a pinch of salt to the dough or sprinkle coarse sea salt on top before baking. (The recipe as written doesn’t include extra salt, but you can adjust to your preference.)
Step 7
The first-fermented dough should have increased in volume by about 2.2 to 2.5 times. To check for readiness, poke the dough gently with a floured finger. If the indentation remains, the dough is well-fermented.
Step 8
Gently turn the fermented dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Press down gently to deflate the dough, expelling excess air bubbles. Shape it into a rough rectangle or oval, making it easier for the next steps.
Step 9
Divide the dough into 8 equal portions, each weighing approximately 55g. Using a kitchen scale will ensure consistent size, which leads to even baking.
Step 10
Take each portion of dough, place it with the smooth side down, and pinch the edges together to seal. Then, gently flatten it with your palm and roll it out into a teardrop or elongated oval shape. The wider end should be at the top, tapering towards the bottom.
Step 11
Lightly dust your work surface and the dough with a little bread flour. Gently press out any large air bubbles from the dough. Now, roll the dough out lengthwise, then gently pinch the tapered end (the ‘tail’) and roll it up, creating a coiled shape. (Avoid pressing too hard, as this can remove too much air and affect the chewy texture.)
Step 12
Cover the shaped dough pieces with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out. Let them rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten before proceeding.
Step 13
Retrieve the frozen butter pieces. Place one piece of the cold, firm butter onto the top (wider) end of each dough piece.
Step 14
Carefully fold the dough over the butter and roll it up tightly, encasing the butter completely. Try to maintain a narrow width as you roll, tucking the butter in securely. Imagine you are rolling up a small sushi roll.
Step 15
It’s important to shape the salt bread quickly and efficiently. This minimizes the time the cold butter is exposed to room temperature, preventing it from melting too much and leaking out during baking.
Step 16
Place the shaped salt breads onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring they have ample space between them to expand. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let them proof for about 30 minutes at room temperature, or until they have increased in size by about 1.5 times.
Step 17
Just before baking, line your baking sheet with parchment paper (if not already done) and arrange the proofed salt breads in neat rows, leaving plenty of space between them.
Step 18
Generously mist the surface of the salt breads with water using a spray bottle. This step is key to achieving an exceptionally crispy crust.
Step 19
Why spray with water? → When baked, the moisture evaporates, creating an incredibly crisp crust, just like the salt bread from your favorite bakery!
Step 20
Bake in a preheated oven at 230°C (450°F) for 12 minutes. You’ll hear the butter sizzling as it melts and drips out, and the bread will turn a beautiful golden brown, achieving that perfect crispiness.
Step 21
An interesting observation: Baking directly on the pan without parchment paper resulted in an even crispier bottom and a more beautiful color. This is likely due to better heat conduction. (Just be mindful to prevent sticking.)
Step 22
Truly, the taste is identical to the famous salt bread I first tried in Seongsu-dong! The perfect balance of crispy exterior, chewy interior, and rich buttery flavor is perfectly replicated.
Step 23
The characteristic indentation in the center is formed naturally as the butter melts and seeps out during baking. This unique feature adds to the charm of salt bread.
Step 24
The result is an ideal salt bread: perfectly crispy on the outside and delightfully chewy on the inside.
Step 25
Once cooled, store the salt bread in an airtight bag. Even at room temperature during the summer, they will remain fresh and delicious for several days, retaining their wonderful texture and flavor.
