Japanese Milk Bread
Recipe courtesy of Executive Pastry Chef James Satterwhite
Ingredients
- Ingredients for the Tangzhong:
- water - 43 gms.
- milk - 43 gms.
- bread flour - 14 gms.
- Ingredients for the Dough:
- bread flour - 300 gms.
- dry milk - 18 gms.
- sugar - 50 gms.
- salt - 6 gms.
- instant yeast - 9.5 gms.
- milk - 113 gms.
- eggs - 50 gms.
- butter - 57 gms.
Instructions
- Combine milk, water and bread flour in a small pot and mix with a whisk. Place over medium heat and whisk constantly until thick. Pour into a container and place plastic film touching the surface and cool to room temperature.
- In a mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook, add all the dry ingredients and allow to combine in the mixer. Add the softened butter and then eggs and milk. Mix on first speed until the dough gathers and the liquid is absorbed, then increase to 2nd speed and 3rd speed depending on the mixer until the dough has fully developed. This will take approximately 6 minutes but may take a little longer. The dough should pull completely away from the bowl.
- Once the dough is mixed, place in a sprayed Cambro or other container covered for 60-90 minutes. Then turn the dough onto the bench and divide as needed, 25 grams for slider buns, 40 grams for dinner rolls, 75 grams for sub rolls, 112 grams for hamburger buns.
- Once shaped, milk wash, allow to proof as 40-50 minutes. When the dough has doubled in volume, milk wash a second time and bake at 350°F. Due to the higher sugar content, the dough will brown quickly, so keep a close watch during the baking process. Normally, it may take 10 to 15 minutes, but this varies considerably due to size and the oven.
Chef's note: Japanese milk bread can also be used to make excellent doughnuts and cinnamon rolls as well as sweet and savory tarts.
