Japanese Milk Bread
Japanese Milk Bread
Ingredients
For the Tangzhong
- 20 g bread flour
- 100 ml milk
For the Dough
- 300 g bread flour
- 40 g granulated sugar
- 5 g salt
- 4 g instant yeast
- 1 egg
- 80 ml milk
- 30 g unsalted butter, softened
For the Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
For Finishing
- as needed melted butter
Instructions
- 1
In a small saucepan, combine 20g of bread flour and 100ml of milk. Whisk constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens into a paste, resembling the consistency of mashed potatoes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Transfer the thickened tangzhong to a bowl. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or preferably overnight, until completely cool.
⏱️ 30 min
- 3
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 300g of bread flour, 40g of granulated sugar, 5g of salt, and 4g of instant yeast. Whisk these dry ingredients together to ensure they are well combined.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
Add 1 egg, 80ml of milk, and the cooled tangzhong to the dry ingredients in the stand mixer bowl.
⏱️ 1 min
- 5
Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer and mix on low speed for 3 to 5 minutes until a shaggy dough forms.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Add 30g of softened unsalted butter to the dough. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue to mix for 10 to 15 minutes. The dough is ready when it clears the sides of the bowl and passes the 'windowpane test'.
⏱️ 15 min
- 7
Form the dough into a smooth ball. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to proof in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
⏱️ 90 min
- 8
Once the dough has risen, gently punch it down to release the air. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and divide it into 3 equal pieces.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Shape each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Cover the dough balls and let them rest for 15 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min
- 10
Take one dough ball and roll it out into an oval shape. Fold the top third of the oval down to the center, then fold the bottom third up to overlap the previous fold. Flip the dough over. Roll it out again into a longer oval. Starting from the top, tightly roll the dough downwards to create a log shape. Pinch the seam closed tightly to seal. Repeat the shaping process for the remaining two dough pieces.
⏱️ 10 min
- 11
Arrange the three rolled dough pieces seam-side down in a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Loosely cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to proof in a warm place for 45 to 60 minutes, or until it has almost doubled in size and appears puffy.
⏱️ 60 min
- 12
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 180
- 13
Prepare the egg wash by whisking 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of milk.
⏱️ 1 min
- 14
Gently brush the top of the proofed bread with the egg wash. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
⏱️ 35 min•🌡️ 180
- 15
Once baked, remove the bread from the oven. Immediately brush the top with melted butter. Let the bread cool slightly before slicing and serving.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Japanese Milk Bread
For the Tangzhong
- 20 g bread flour
- 100 ml milk
For the Dough
- 300 g bread flour
- 40 g granulated sugar
- 5 g salt
- 4 g instant yeast
- 1 egg
- 80 ml milk
- 30 g unsalted butter, softened
For the Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
For Finishing
- as needed melted butter
Instructions
- 1
In a small saucepan, combine 20g of bread flour and 100ml of milk. Whisk constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens into a paste, resembling the consistency of mashed potatoes.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Transfer the thickened tangzhong to a bowl. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or preferably overnight, until completely cool.
⏱️ 30 min - 3
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 300g of bread flour, 40g of granulated sugar, 5g of salt, and 4g of instant yeast. Whisk these dry ingredients together to ensure they are well combined.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
Add 1 egg, 80ml of milk, and the cooled tangzhong to the dry ingredients in the stand mixer bowl.
⏱️ 1 min - 5
Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer and mix on low speed for 3 to 5 minutes until a shaggy dough forms.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Add 30g of softened unsalted butter to the dough. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue to mix for 10 to 15 minutes. The dough is ready when it clears the sides of the bowl and passes the 'windowpane test'.
⏱️ 15 min - 7
Form the dough into a smooth ball. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to proof in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
⏱️ 90 min - 8
Once the dough has risen, gently punch it down to release the air. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and divide it into 3 equal pieces.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Shape each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Cover the dough balls and let them rest for 15 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min - 10
Take one dough ball and roll it out into an oval shape. Fold the top third of the oval down to the center, then fold the bottom third up to overlap the previous fold. Flip the dough over. Roll it out again into a longer oval. Starting from the top, tightly roll the dough downwards to create a log shape. Pinch the seam closed tightly to seal. Repeat the shaping process for the remaining two dough pieces.
⏱️ 10 min - 11
Arrange the three rolled dough pieces seam-side down in a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Loosely cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to proof in a warm place for 45 to 60 minutes, or until it has almost doubled in size and appears puffy.
⏱️ 60 min - 12
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 180 - 13
Prepare the egg wash by whisking 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of milk.
⏱️ 1 min - 14
Gently brush the top of the proofed bread with the egg wash. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
⏱️ 35 min•🌡️ 180 - 15
Once baked, remove the bread from the oven. Immediately brush the top with melted butter. Let the bread cool slightly before slicing and serving.
⏱️ 5 min