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Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan)
An ultra-soft, fluffy, slightly sweet loaf made with a cooked flour-and-milk paste (tangzhong).
Ingredients
| Volume | Grams |
|---|---|
| Tangzhong | |
| 3 tbsp bread flour | 22 g |
| 1/2 cup milk | 114 g |
| Dough | |
| 2 1/2 cups bread flour | 300 g |
| 1/4 cup granulated sugar | 50 g |
| 2 tsp instant yeast | 6 g |
| 1 tsp table salt | 6 g |
| 1/2 cup milk, warm | 114 g |
| 1 large egg | 50 g |
| 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened | 56 g |
| Finish | |
| 1 tbsp milk, for brushing | 14.2 g |
Gram weights use the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart. Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling, or better, weigh it.
Method
- Whisk the tangzhong flour and milk in a small pan over medium-low heat until it thickens to a pudding-like paste, 2–3 minutes. Cool to lukewarm.
- Mix the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add the warm milk, egg and tangzhong and knead 5 minutes. Add the soft butter a piece at a time and knead 10 minutes more, until the dough is smooth and stretches thin without tearing.
- Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Divide into 3 pieces. Roll each into an oval, fold the sides into the middle, and roll up. Set them side by side, seam-down, in the greased loaf pan.
- Cover and let rise until the dough is just above the rim, 45–60 minutes. Heat the oven to 350 °F.
- Brush with milk and bake 30–35 minutes, until golden and about 190 °F inside. Cool on a rack before slicing.
Tips
- The tangzhong traps extra moisture, so the loaf stays soft for days.
- A stand mixer makes the long knead much easier.
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