Japanese Milk Bread
The softest, most delicate and flavorful bread around. This loaf is worth totally the effort!
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- 20 grams of all purpose flour
- 100 grams of whole milk
Milk Bread Dough
- 350 grams of all purpose flour
- 1 envelope of fast acting yeast (7 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 65 grams of granulated sugar
- 160 ml of whole milk
- 42 grams of butter, melted (3 tablespoons)
- 1 large egg
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon of whole milk
Honey Butter Glaze
- 1 tablespoon of butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon of honey
Instructions
Make the tangzhong...
- Combine 20 grams of all purpose flour with 100 grams of whole milk a small saucepan and whisk until smooth
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir slowly but constantly until the mixture thickens to a paste like consistency
- Transfer the tangzhong into a bowl and set aside to cool
Make the bread dough...
- Combine 350 grams of all purpose flour, 1 envelope of fast acting yeast (7 grams), 65 grams of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer
- Add 160 ml of warm whole milk, 42 grams of melted butter and 1 large egg to the cooled tangzhong and whisk to combine
- Add the tangzhong mixture to the flour mixture and mix until a loose dough forms
- Knead by hand in the bowl until the dough feels smooth and not too sticky (add a pinch of flour if necessary)
- If kneading by hand, transfer to a lightly floured surface. If using a stand mixer, attach the dough hook. Knead for 6-8 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic
- Transfer the dough into a large lightly oiled glass bowl and turn the dough over a few times to ensure that the outer surface is lightly oiled
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and rest in a warm place for about 60-90 minutes or until the dough has doubled in volume
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide into four equal portions
- Roll each portion into a round ball. Roll each ball into a ten inch long oval and fold one end into the middle, fold the opposite end over the top and roll the dough up as you would a cinnamon roll (see photos above)
- Do this with all four portions and place them side by side in a buttered and parchment lined 9"x5" bread pan
- Cover the pan with a towel and allow the dough to rest until the dough puffs up to the top of the bread pan (30-45 minutes)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Whisk 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of whole milk and brush it gently over the puffed dough
- Bake on a middle rack at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes (cover with foil if the top surface is browning too much)
- Once the crust is golden brown and the center of the loaf reaches 190 degrees, transfer the loaf pan onto a cooling rack for 15 minutes before transferring the dough directly onto the cooling rack. Allow the bread to cool fully before cutting
- Brush warm loaf with melted butter or the honey butter glaze (optional)
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container