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Japanese Milk Bread Loaf

Japanese Milk Bread Loaf

This Japanese Milk Bread Loaf is the softest and most delicious white bread you have ever tasted! Try this Milk Bread recipe with step-by-step photos.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Resting Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Course Bread
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 4 slices
Calories 150 kcal

Equipment

  • electric stand mixer
  • Pullman Loaf Pan
  • small saucepan
  • wire rack

Ingredients
  

For the Tangzhong

  • 14 g white bread flour
  • 100 ml milk

For the Japanese Milk Bread Dough

  • 350 g white bread flour
  • 3.5 g instant dried yeast see Kitchen Notes
  • 6 g fine salt
  • 55 g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
  • 1 egg
  • 125 ml milk warmed to 37°C/98°F
  • 50 g unsalted butter softened

Instructions
 

For the Tangzhong

  • Whisk the ingredients together in a small saucepan.
  • Place the saucepan over low heat.
  • Keep whisking until the ingredients form a thick paste.
  • Remove the paste to a small bowl, and set it aside to cool down completely.

To Make the Dough

  • Measure the flour, yeast, salt and sugar into the bowl of an electric stand mixer.
  • Mix the dry ingredients together using a dough hook.
  • Add the egg and the cooled Tangzhong.
  • Slowly add the milk until the mixture comes together into a sticky dough.
  • Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time.
  • Continue kneading the dough on medium speed for about 10-15 minutes, or until the dough passes the windowpane test.
  • Lightly oil a large, clean mixing bowl.
  • Roll the dough into a smooth ball and place it into the mixing bowl.
  • Cover the dough with a clean tea towel or bowl cover, and place it somewhere warm for about 1.5 hours.

Portion the Dough

  • Gently remove the dough from the bowl. The dough will deflate as you handle it.
  • Divide the dough into 3 equal portions.

Shaping the Dough

  • Lightly grease a Pullman loaf pan and its lid with butter or non-stick baking spray.
  • Roll a piece of dough into a smooth ball.
  • Then roll the dough into an oval shape, about 20 x 13 cm/8 x 5 inches.
  • Roll up the piece of dough from the short end so that you have a log which is about 5 inches long.
  • Repeat the above steps with the remaining pieces of dough.
  • Place the shaped pieces of dough into the loaf pan with the seam facing down.

Proving the Shaped Dough

  • Place the pan somewhere warm, covered with some plastic wrap, for about 30 - 60 minutes.
  • If you are using a Pullman loaf pan with a lid, be careful that the dough does not rise too high.

Baking the Milk Bread

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/356°F (without fan).
  • Place a metal baking tray on the middle shelf.
  • Bake the loaf for about 30 minutes, or until the bread is nicely golden all over.
  • The bread is cooked if an internal thermometer reads 85°C/185°F.
  • Leave the bread in the pan for about 5 minutes, before carefully inverting the bread onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Use a Pullman loaf pan for the best results, but a regular loaf pan can be used with adjustments.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 150kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 4gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 150mgPotassium: 150mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 120IUCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
Keyword homemade bread, Japanese Milk Bread, loaf, Soft Bread, sweet bread, Yeast Bread
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