Easy Milk Bread Recipe
Soft, pillowy Japanese Milk Bread. This fool-proof recipe is unbelievably soft and fluffy.
Ingredients
- 5½ cups bread flour, fluffed, spooned and leveled may substitute with all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk warm
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1/4 cup honey
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 egg, for the egg wash
For the Tangzhong:
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3 Tablespoons flour
Click between "US Customary" or "Metric" button above to switch between conversions. For precise results, it's recommended to weigh your dry ingredients using a digital scale in grams as measuring in cups can have uncertainties.
Instructions
Before you start
- Use a kitchen digital scale for measuring flour and milk as both are easily over-measured. Use the toggle button in the ingredients section above to go between cups and grams. If you don’t have a scale, fluff the flour with a fork in its container, and then spoon it into the measuring cup before leveling off with a flat edge. Measure liquids at eye level.
Make the Tangzhong
- In a small saucepan, whisk together 3 Tablespoons flour and 1/2 cup milk.1/2 cup whole milk, 3 Tablespoons flour
- Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously until thick and smooth like pudding. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature before using in the dough.
Prepare the dough
- I highly recommend using a kitchen digital scale for measuring flour and milk as both are easily over-measured. In a large stand mixer bowl, combine flour, yeast and salt. Make a well in the center and add the cooled Tangzhong, milk, honey, heavy cream and eggs.5½ cups bread flour, fluffed, spooned and leveled, 1 cup whole milk, 3 large eggs, 1/4 cup honey, 2 teaspoons instant yeast, 2 teaspoons sea salt, 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- Use the dough hook attachment and mix until most of the flour is absorbed, then add the butter, a tablespoon at a time.5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- Knead on medium-low speed for 12-15 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth and elastic. At the very end of kneading, increase the mixer speed to high for a few seconds until the dough removes from the sides of the bowl. You might be tempted to add more flour because sticky dough is uncomfortable. Don't do it! Oil your fingertips to make the dough manageable.
First rise
- Oil your fingers. Use your hands to shape the dough into a round ball and place in a large greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let it rise for about 1-1½ hours or until doubled in size.
Dinner roll baking directions
- Skip this step if making loaves instead of rolls.Once the dough is done rising, divide the dough into 18 equal pieces, shape into round balls and place them in a buttered baking pan covered with plastic wrap. Let it rise again for 30-40 minutes until doubled in size. Use more than one baking tray but only bake one at a time. Brush the tops with egg wash and bake at 350°F for 22-25 minutes until golden brown. Depending on the strength of your oven and number of rolls in the pan, baking time will vary.
Shaping
- Prepare two 1.5 lb. loaf pans by spreading softened butter on all the sides. This recipe still works well with 1 lb. loaf pans but the bread will rise/crack a bit more in the smaller pans.
- Punch the dough down and pour onto clean, dry surface. Do not flour. You need the resistance of the surface to shape and seal the bread. Divide into 6 equal pieces. Use a scale for precise measurements. Three pieces for each loaf.
- See step by step photos above in blog post for additional help.Use a rolling pin to roll each piece into a thin rectangle, about 4 inches wide and double the length of the loaf pan. Then, fold the sides towards the center and roll with a rolling pin again to reinforce those seams. Starting at one end, roll up like a jelly roll and pinch the seams together tightly. If you do not want to go through the shaping process, divide the dough in half, roll each piece into a log, pinch the seams tightly until they are sealed to the loaf and place into the pan, seam side down.
Second rise
- Place three pieces in each buttered loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 40-50 minutes until doubled in size and expands in the loaf pan.
Preheat the oven
- While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake
- In a small bowl, whisk together egg with a splash of water. Brush over the tops and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown on top. The bread will crack on the side and rise very high during baking but it will "deflate" a little bit after cooling. Remove from the pan and place the bread on a wire rack to cool. Brush the tops lightly with butter while the bread is still warm.1 egg, for the egg wash
Notes
- To make dinner rolls, divide the dough into equal pieces, shape into round balls and place them in a buttered 9"x13" baking pan until doubled in size. You will need to use more than one baking tray but only bake one tray at a time. Brush with egg wash and bake at 350°F for 22-25 minutes until golden brown. Do not overbake! Depending on the strength of your oven and number of rolls in the pan, baking time will vary. The rolls are done baking when the tops are deep golden brown. In some cases, it may need 28 minutes and other times, 22 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 97kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 3gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 336mgPotassium: 73mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 240IUVitamin C: 0.04mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 0.3mg
The provided nutritional value above is an estimate per serving. 100% accuracy is not guarenteed. Please see Nutrition Information Disclaimer in our Privacy Policy.
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