Japanese milk bread 食パン

Fluffy Shokupan Loaf

A soft, tangzhong-method sandwich loaf that slices cleanly and toasts golden. Three rolled logs in the tin give it a feathery, pull-apart crumb.

Active 30 min
Rising 1 hr 45 min
Baking 35 min
Oven 180°C / 160°C fan

Ingredients

12
slices · 1 loaf

Fills one 900g (2lb) tin, about 22 × 12cm.

Tangzhong
Strong white bread flour
Whole milk
Dough
Strong white bread flour
Caster sugar
Fine salt
Instant yeast
Whole milk, lukewarm
Large egg
Unsalted butter, softened

Method

  1. Make the tangzhong10 min

    Whisk flour and milk in a small pan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until it thickens to a pudding-like paste, about 2 minutes. Cool to lukewarm.

  2. Mix the dough

    In a stand mixer bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast, keeping the salt and yeast apart. Add the tangzhong, lukewarm milk and . Mix with the dough hook until it comes together.

  3. Knead10–12 min

    Add butter in pieces and knead on medium speed until smooth and stretchy, and it passes the windowpane test. The dough stays tacky; don't add extra flour.

  4. First riseabout 1 hr

    Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and leave somewhere warm until doubled.

  5. Shape

    Divide into 3 equal pieces. Roll each into an oval, fold the sides to the middle, then roll up tightly into a log. Set the 3 logs side by side, seam down, in a greased 900g tin.

  6. Second riseabout 45 min

    Cover and leave until the dough is about 2cm above the rim of the tin. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) for the last 15 minutes.

  7. Bakeabout 35 min

    Bake on the middle shelf until deep golden, with an internal temperature of 93–96°C. Tent with foil after 20 minutes if it browns too fast.

  8. Coolabout 1 hr

    Turn out at once onto a wire rack. Brush the top with melted butter for a softer crust. Cool fully before slicing.

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