Japanese milk bread recipe with step by step pictures. Soft and fluffy milk bread which is buttery and soft at the same time. This bread makes the prefect sandwich or toast.
Japanese Milk Bread Recipe
I have to admit this is the most fluffy, tender bread I have ever baked. To mention I have tried so many bread recipes in the past. The bread has a light, fluffy and moist texture to it which comes from the milk paste which we add to it. Also the bread is made mainly with milk.
Table of Contents
About Japanese Milk Bread Recipe
Japanese milk bread also known as shokupan. This bread is made of milk, bread flour, sugar, butter, and yeast. It's called milk bread because milk is the only wet ingredient added to this bread. Milk keeps the bread moist and soft along with the instant tangzhong.
This version is an instant version of Japanese milk bread which is made a little different than usual.
TRY THESE OTHER BREAD RECIPES
Ingredients for Making Japanese Milk Bread at Home
This bread requires ingredients like usual bread but it uses milk as its wet ingredients or hydration. Basic staple pantry ingredients which you already have on hand is used in this bread.
Plain Flour
All purpose flour (maida) - plain flour is used in the making of Japanese milk bread. Plain flour gives the fluffy light texture to the bread. You can use bread flour inlace of plain flour too.
Milk
Use full fat milk for this bread. Even though you can use almond milk, soy milk or any other plant based milk in this recipe. It is recommended to use cows milk for proper texture and flavour.
Butter
High quality butter provides the necessary moistness to the bread. Butter adds the required flavour the bread.
Sugar| Honey
Honey or sugar is added to provide the sweetness for the bread also it helps activate the yeast and make them live throughout the bread making process.
Dry yeast
I prefer to use dry yeast for my bread making. It is easy to find and also works great.
Video for Japanese Milk Bread Recipe
How to Make Japanese Milk Bread
Starter Paste for bread
Start by making a paste of flour and hot milk. Take flour and hot milk in a bowl and mix well to form a paste like texture. Set aside for at least 15 to 30 mins.
Activating Yeast
After the paste has rested. Activate the yeast mixture. Take warm milk, honey and yeast in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside for 5 to 10 mins for the yeast to get foamy. The yeast has to become foamy.
Making Bread dough
Now lets make the bread dough. Take flour in a bowl, add sugar and salt and mix well. Add in the milk flour paste which we have prepared earlier along with yeast mixture and knead so the dough comes together. Now transfer the dough to a silicon work surface and start kneading. Knead the dough for at least 5 to 10 mins so the gluten can activate. Add in the soft butter and incorporate it into the dough. Knead it really well till it forms a smooth ball.
Resting of the dough
Place the dough in the bowl, cover with a cloth. Let it rest in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours till it is doubled in size.
Shaping the bread
Now the dough should be doubled in size. Remove to dough to work surface. Divide the dough into three equal portions. Shape it into a smooth ball. Cover and set aside for 15 mins. Meanwhile grease a loaf pan with butter and set aside. Take one dough ball and use a rolling pin to roll it into a long rectangle sheet. Fold from both sides, gently roll it. Repeat this for remaining two dough. Place the rolled dough into the loaf pan, cover the pan with cloth and let it rise somewhere warm again for 45 mins to 1 hour. Now during the last 10 mins or rising, preheat oven to 190 degree C. Brush the top of the bread with either butter, milk or egg.
Baking Bread
Pop the bread in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 to 35 mins. Remove and let it cool in the tin for at least 10 mins before unmolding. Place the bread on a wire rack and let it cool completely. Slice and serve.
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Japanese Milk Bread Recipe
Ingredients
For Paste
- 3 tbsp All Purpose flour
- ¼ cup Hot Milk
For Yeast
- ½ cup Warm Milk
- 2 tbsp Honey or Sugar
- 11/2 tsp Dry Yeast
For Dough
- 2 cup All Purpose flour
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Butter softened
Instructions
- Start by making a paste of flour and hot milk. Take flour and hot milk in a bowl and mix well to form a paste like texture. Set aside for at least 15 to 30 mins.
- After the paste has rested. Activate the yeast mixture. Take warm milk, honey and yeast in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside for 5 to 10 mins for the yeast to get foamy. The yeast has to become foamy.
- Now lets make the bread dough. Take flour in a bowl, add sugar and salt and mix well. Add in the milk flour paste which we have prepared earlier along with yeast mixture and knead so the dough comes together.
- Now transfer the dough to a silicon work surface and start kneading. Knead the dough for at least 5 to 10 mins so the gluten can activate. Add in the soft butter and incorporate it into the dough. Knead it really well till it forms a smooth ball.
- Place the dough in the bowl, cover with a cloth. Let it rest in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours till it is doubled in size.
- Now the dough should be doubled in size. Remove to dough to work surface. Divide the dough into three equal portions. Shape it into a smooth ball. Cover and set aside for 15 mins.
- Meanwhile grease a loaf pan with butter and set aside. Take one dough ball and use a rolling pin to roll it into a long rectangle sheet. Fold from both sides, gently roll it. Repeat this for remaining two dough.
- Place the rolled dough into the loaf pan, cover the pan with cloth and let it rise somewhere warm again for 45 mins to 1 hour.
- Now during the last 10 mins or rising, preheat oven to 190 degree C. Brush the top of the bread with either butter, milk or egg.
- Pop the bread in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 to 35 mins. Remove and let it cool in the tin for at least 10 mins before unmolding. Place the bread on a wire rack and let it cool completely. Slice and serve.
Video
Notes
Tips & Tricks
- Make sure the paste which you make comes to room temp or warm before incorporating it into the dough.
- Warm full fat milk is used in the making of the dough to attain the texture.
- Make sure you follow the shaping technique for creating the proper flakiness and texture in the bread.
Serving Suggestions
- Japanese milk bread is best served warm, freshly sliced.
- Next Day, Great for making sandwiches.
- Two Days After, Toasted and slathered with butter and jam.
Storage Suggestions
- Japanese milk bread can be stored at room temperature upto 2 days.
- Wrap it and store in a bread box in fridge upto 4 to 5 days.
- You can freeze the bread upto a month. Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminium foil tightly before freezing.
Nutrition
Japanese Milk Bread Recipe Step by Step Pictures
1)Start by making a paste of flour and hot milk. Take flour in a bowl.
2)Add hot milk in a bowl and mix well to form a paste like texture.
3)Set aside for at least 15 to 30 mins.
4)Activate the yeast mixture. Take warm milk, honey in a bowl.
5)Add yeast and Mix well.
6)set aside for 5 to 10 mins for the yeast to get foamy. The yeast has to become foamy.
7)Now lets make the bread dough. Take flour in a bowl.
8)add sugar.
9)Add salt.
10)Mix well.
11)Add the cooled flour milk paste.
12)Add in the yeast mixture.
13)Mix well.
14)Take the dough in a silicon sheet and knead well.
15)Add butter.
16)Knead till smooth dough forms.
17)Place it into a bowl. Cover and let it rest for 1 to 2 hours till it doubled in size.
18)Now the dough is doubled in size.
19)Remove it to a work surface. Divide it into three portions.
20)Shape it into ball.
21)Cover it with a towel and let it rest for 15 mins.
22)Meanwhile grease the loaf pan with butter.
23)Take one ball and roll it into a thin long sheet.
24)Fold from both sides.
25)Roll it into a right roll.
26)Like this.
27)Place it in the loaf pan.
28)Let it rise, brush top with butter or milk.
29)Bake till golden.
Tips & Tricks
- Make sure the paste which you make comes to room temp or warm before incorporating it into the dough.
- Warm full fat milk is used in the making of the dough to attain the texture.
- Make sure you follow the shaping technique for creating the proper flakiness and texture in the bread.
Serving Suggestions
- Japanese milk bread is best served warm, freshly sliced.
- Next Day, Great for making sandwiches.
- Two Days After, Toasted and slathered with butter and jam.
Storage Suggestions
- Japanese milk bread can be stored at room temperature upto 2 days.
- Wrap it and store in a bread box in fridge upto 4 to 5 days.
- You can freeze the bread upto a month. Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminium foil tightly before freezing.
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