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Japanese Milk Bread Recipe (Hokkaido Milk Bread)

Japanese Milk Bread also known as Japan's Hokkaido milk bread, Shokupan is a feather light, Soft and fluffy milk bread which is buttery and soft at the same time. This bread makes the prefect sandwich or toast. This special milk bread is made using tangzhong which is what give it their light and fluffy character. Also I use one secret ingredient which gives the bread super soft texture.
Making soft Japanese milk bread is easy and takes less than 15 minutes to put together. In this blog post, learn how to make Soft Japanese Hokkaido Milk Bread with step by step pictures and video.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Resting Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 337kcal

Equipment

  • Loaf Pan
  • Cooking pot
  • Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

For Paste (tangzhong)

  • 2 tbsp All Purpose flour 30 grams
  • ⅓ cup Water 78 ml

For Yeast

  • ½ cup Warm Milk 120 ml
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Dry Yeast

For Dough

For Egg wash

  • 1 medium Egg
  • 2 tbsp Milk or Cream

Instructions

  • Start by making a paste. Take flour and water in a sauce pan and mix till it gets paste like texture. Now place this on heat and cook until it thickens and becomes like a thick sticky dough. Set aside for at least 10 minutes so it gets warm. This is your tangzhong.
  • After the paste has rested. Activate the yeast mixture. Take warm milk, sugar 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. In a stand mixer bowl, Add in egg, yeast mixture, sweetened condensed milk, plain flour, salt, and the milk flour paste which we have prepared earlier. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can mix this in a bowl using hand or electric beater with dough hook.
  • Now transfer the bowl to the stand mixer and Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes, so the gluten can activate. Now start adding the butter 1 tbsp at a time and continue mixing until all butter is added.. Knead this for 5 to 10 minutes on low speed until the dough becomes soft and elastic.
  • Window Pane Test in Bread  - Window pane test is very important to check whether the gluten development in dough is formed. This helps in getting the texture of the bread. Take a small ball of the dough and stretch it into a square. Keep on stretching until it becomes a thin film in the middle without breaking. The dough must be thin enough to pass light through it. If it is obtained without any tear, then your dough is properly kneaded.
  • Place the dough in an oiled 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.
  • Meanwhile grease a loaf pan with butter and set aside. Take one dough ball and use a rolling pin to roll it into a short rectangle sheet. Gently roll it like a burrito. 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. The bread should have risen above the loaf pan.
  • Now during the last 30 mins or rising, preheat oven to 180 degree C. Brush the top of the bread with egg wash.
  • Pop the bread in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 to 35 mins. Remove and let it cool in the tin for at least 10 mins before un-molding. Place the bread on a wire rack and let it cool completely. Slice and serve.

Notes

  • 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

  • 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

Serving: 1servings | Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 870mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 335IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @yummytummyaarthi or tag #yummytummyaarthi!
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