Japanese Milk Loaf

Recipe adapted from https://www.carolinescooking.com/japanese-milk-bread/

Ingredients

For the tangzhong

- 2 tbsp bread flour (approx 25g)

- 6 tbsp water

For rest of loaf

- 300 g bread flour

- 2 tsp fast acting yeast (technically a little under but can use 1 sachet, 1/4oz/ 7g)

- 120 ml lukewarm milk 1/2 cup

- 30 g unsalted butter, melted but not hot

- 1 tsp salt

- 3 tbsp sugar (caster sugar/fine), approx 42g

- 1 egg

To glaze

- 1 egg (lightly beaten - won't need all)

Instructions

For tangzhong - made slightly ahead

1. Put water and flour for tangzhong in a small pan. Mix until smooth and no lumps remain - do this before turning on the heat.

2. Warm the flour paste gently over a medium-low heat until it thickens, stirring constantly. You should see trails left by the spoon/whisk as you stir it. Set the pan aside to cool.

To make bread

1. Warm milk up slightly – warm not hot, add sugar and stir until combined, add yeast.

2. Gently beat 1 egg into the tangzhong first

3. Mix the rest of the ingredients together with the yeast mixture + tangzhong. Then knead, either in mixer (using a bread hook) or by hand on a floured surface. Add a little more flour if needed.

4. Once the dough is no longer sticky, transfer to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and leave to rise in a relatively warm place until doubled - around 1 hour. (NOTE: I use a makeshift “proofer” using the oven. Boil some water. Put the hot water into a bowl and sit it on the base of the oven. On a rack in the middle, put the bowl with the dough. Close the oven door and let it do its own thing. DO NOT TURN OVEN ON)

5. Once it has risen, knock back the dough (i.e. get rid of some of the air), divide into three pieces. Set the other pieces to one side and roll one piece into an oval.

6. Fold one side of dough over to halfway across the remaining dough then fold the other side on top so you have three layers (see photos above). Gently roll slightly, if needed, then roll up the piece of dough as you would a cinnamon roll.

7. Repeat with the other pieces of dough then put all three rolls of dough in an oiled loaf pan - 9x5in (22x12cm) or slightly smaller.

8. Cover and leave to rise again until the loaf is just reaching the top of the pan (use the same proofing method!).

9. Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Lightly beat the egg and brush the top of the loaf with egg wash.

10. Bake the loaf for approx 30 minutes until golden brown. If it browns too fast, tent with foil for the last part of cooking. Turn onto a cooling rack to cool before slicing.

Enjoy!