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Japanese Milk Bread

Japanese Milk Bread Loaf

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Proofing Time 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 1 loaf

Ingredients
  

Tangzhong
  • 15 g Bread Flour ~2 tbsp
  • 80 g Whole or 2% Milk ⅓ cup
Dough
  • 315 g AP or Bread Flour 2¾ cups
  • 25 g Granulated sugar 2 tbsp
  • 2 tsp Instant yeast
  • 2 tbsp Baker's Dry Milk
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 large Egg room temperature
  • 120 g Whole or 2% Milk ½ cup, warm
  • 42 g Unsalted butter 3 tbsp, softened

Method
 

  1. Prepare the tangzhong. Mix together, 15g flour, and 80g of milk in a small saucepan. Put the saucepan over medium-low heat and whisk constantly. When the whisk starts to leave trails where you can see the bottom of the pan, it is done. Transfer to a small bowl and allow to cool.
    15 g Bread Flour, 80 g Whole or 2% Milk
  2. In the bowl of your stand mixer with your dough hook attached, add flour, tangzhong, sugar, yeast, baker's dry milk, salt, egg, and milk. Mix on low until a shaggy dough forms.
    315 g AP or Bread Flour, 25 g Granulated sugar, 2 tsp Instant yeast, 2 tbsp Baker's Dry Milk, 1 tsp Salt, 1 large Egg, 120 g Whole or 2% Milk
  3. Stop the mixer, cover the bowl for 10 minutes and allow the dough to rest.
  4. After 10 minutes, one tbsp at a time, add softened butter. Let butter fully incorporate into the dough until adding the next.
    42 g Unsalted butter
  5. Knead dough on low until dough is very smooth and no longer sticking to the sides. Anywhere from 10-30 minutes.
  6. When dough is ready, place in a lightly greased bowl and cover. Allow dough to rise for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
  7. Prepare a 8.5x4.5" or 9x4 pullman loaf pan with parchment.
  8. Punch down the dough and remove it from bowl. Divide dough into 4 equal parts.
  9. Shape dough piece into a rectangle and roll out into a long skinny rectangle. The width of the dough should be about the width of your pan. Roll up the dough into a log.
  10. Place seam side down into the prepared pan. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.
  11. Cover the pan and allow dough to rise again for about another 45 minutes-1 hour, or until dough has puffed significantly to about twice in size.
  12. About 20 minutes (more or less depending on your oven) into the second proof, preheat your oven to 350°F.
  13. When loaf is ready, place on the middle rack of your oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. A thermometer inserted into the bread should read 190°F.
    Optional: You can brush the top of the loaf with milk before baking for additional browning and sheen, but this is not required.
  14. Remove the bread from the pan to a wire cooling rack within 5-10 minutes. Let bread cool at least 30 min before eating. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!