The softest bread EVER: Japanese Hokkaido milk bread using a touch of condensed milk!
Course Bread, Dinner, lunch, Side
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Bread, Buns, Milk
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Rising time 1 hourhour45 minutesminutes
Total Time 2 hourshours35 minutesminutes
Servings 1loaf (or 8/10 buns)
Calories 1975kcal
Ingredients
For the Tangzhong (water roux):
3tablespoonsBread flour25 gr
3.5fl. ozWater100 gr
For the bread:
1 ⅔cupBread flour320 gr
1.5tablespoonBrown sugar30 gr
1teaspoonSalt5 gr
2.5teaspoonsDry yeast5 gr
⅔ cupWarm milk (at 35-40° Celsius)120 gr
1tablespoonCondensed milk (or milk powder)(optional) - 5 gr or more
HalfBeaten egg25 gr
2 tablespoonsHigh quality butter (softened, not melted)25 gr
To brush the top:
Milk
HalfBeaten Egg
Instructions
For the Tangzhong (water roux):
In a pan, combine water and flour and whisk. Then place it over medium-low heat on the stove and keep whisking with a spatula, until you get a thick gel-consistency mixture (and it reaches 65°C which is 150°F)
Pour it onto a plate, cover with plastic wrap and let it cool at room temperature.
For the bread:
Into your stand mixer's bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and activate. Then add yeast and warm milk (ideally at 35-40° C / 95°-104°F).
Gradually add the beaten egg, condensed milk (or powdered), Tangzhong and let everything incorporate.
Add the softened butter and let knead for about 20 minutes.
Place the dough into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, let it rise for 50 minutes in a warm place.
After the dough has doubled in size, gently press it to degas it.Divide it into 3 equal pieces and roll them into balls (like this). Cover and let them rise for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, take the 3 balls and roll them like Umi does in this video(it's easier for you to watch this rather than reading how to do it!)
Put the balls into a loaf pan (grease it if necessary. I used a paper pan, so I didn't grease it) and let rise for 40 minutes.Want to make buns? Instead of dividing in 4 balls, divide it into 8/10 balls, then let rise for 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven at 180°C (350°F).
Combine milk and egg, then brush the your bread and bake for about 20 minutes or until it gets puffy, and golden brown.
As soon as you take it out of the oven, brush it with more milk.
Let it cool down onto a cooling rack.
This bread surprisingly lasted a few days and it was so good after 5 days! Store it in an airtight container.
Notes
** Recipe adapted from Umi's Baking recipe. Check out his recipe for a milk powder version.WANT TO MAKE BUNS? Divide the dough into 8 little balls, instead of making one big loaf. Bake, let cool. Freeze them and then defrost them when you need them.