Milk Bread

Odin Recipes

A Japanese bread with a springy texture and buttery flavor that's easy to make at home.

Milk bread gets its softness and rise using a starter called tangzhong, a warm flour-and-water paste that makes an easy and tasty dough. This versatile bread can be painted with cinnamon sugar, toasted and eaten with jam, used for sandwiches, and much more!


Ingredients


Instructions

  1. Make the starter: In a small pot, whisk the bread flour, whole milk, and water until smooth. Bring to a simmer on medium-low heat and stir often until thickened, about 10 minutes. Pour into a measuring cup, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and let it cool to room temperature.
  2. Make the dough: In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast, and salt and mix for several seconds, just until evenly combined.
  3. Add the egg, milk, and 1/2 cup of the starter to the flour mixture and turn the mixer to low speed to knead for 5 minutes.
  4. Add the butter and continue to knead 10-12 minutes until the dough is smooth, springy, and a bit tacky.
  5. Butter the inside of a bowl. Lift the dough out of the mixer bowl, shape it into a ball, and place it in the buttered bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 40-60 minutes.
  6. Punch down the dough and scoop it out onto a surface. Cut the dough in half with a bench scraper or knife. Gently form each half into a ball and cover again to let rise for 15 minutes.
  7. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
  8. Carefully roll out one dough ball into a thick oval using a rolling pin. Roll it away from your body, then pull in, until the oval is 12 inches long and 6 inches across.
  9. Fold the top 3 inches down and the bottom 3 inches up, making a rough square. Roll up the dough into a log starting from the right edge of the square, then pick it up and smooth the top with your hands. Place the log in one end of the buttered pan, seam side down and crosswise. Repeat with the other ball of dough, placing it near the other end of the pan.
  10. Cover and let rise for 30-40 minutes, until the dough rises over the edge of the pan and the dough logs meet in the center of the pan.
  11. Brush the tops with milk and bake 35-40 minutes on the bottom shelf of the oven. The milk bread should be golden brown when done.
  12. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then on a wire rack for at least 1 hour.