Soft Japanese Milk Bread Recipe (Hokkaido)
This soft and fluffy Japanese Milk Bread, also known as Hokkaido milk bread is easy to make at home and can be used in so many ways!
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- 25 g all-purpose flour plain flour
- 60 g milk
- 60 g water
Dough
- 280 g bread flour see notes
- 7 g fine salt
- 20 g granulated sugar
- 7 g instant dry yeast see notes
- 45 g milk powder see notes
- 110 g warm milk warmed (36-40C/98-105F)
- 1 large egg 55g
- 45 g unsalted butter softened and cut into cubes
Egg Wash
- 1 egg whisked (55g)
- 1 tsp water
Instructions
Tangzhong
- Add the flour, milk and water to a non-stick pot and stir on medium heat until thickened to the consistency of mayonnaise. It’ll take about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Dough
- Combine dry ingredients - Add the bread flour, salt, sugar, instant dry yeast and milk powder to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix until well combined, about 20 seconds. I usually do this by hand using the dough hook attachment.
- Add wet ingredients - Add the Tangzhong, milk, and egg. Mix until a dough forms. Then add the softened butter and mix until fully combined. Continue mixing for 10 minutes on low speed. The dough will be sticky at first, but keep kneading for the full 10 minutes, and it will gradually become smooth and less sticky.
- First rise - cover with plastic wrap or a lid and allow to rest in the fridge overnight for a tastier bread, OR if you don’t in a warm spot for 1-2 hours or until it’s doubled in size. If the dough was in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping.
- Prepare loaf tin - for this recipe you’ll need a 22 x 10cm / 9 x 4-inch loaf tin that is 10cm / 4-inches in height. You can use a smaller loaf tin that is slightly wider like a tin you use for banana bread. Spray the bottom and sides with oil spray or brush with melted butter.
- Divide the dough - Dust your workbench with flour and pour the risen dough onto the bench. Knead a little to form a large ball. Divide the dough into 3 even sized portions. The easiest way is to weigh your dough using kitchen scales and divide that number by 3. You can also eyeball it if you like.
- To form dough balls - Roll each piece of dough into a 20 x 10cm / 8 x 4-inch rectangle. Fold the left and right sides of the dough into the center so they meet in the middle.
- How to roll the dough - Starting from one of the short edges, roll the dough tightly into a log. As you reach the end of the roll, make the last part of the dough slightly wider than the beginning by gently stretching outward. This helps the bread rise evenly and prevents any layers from showing through the top. Pinch the seam along the edge to seal.
- Second rise - Loosely cover the tin with lightly oiled plastic wrap to prevent sticking and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Bake - 15 minutes before you’re ready to bake, preheat a fan forced oven to 180C/355F (200C/400F for no fan). After rising, brush with egg wash and bake on the middle rack for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. You’ll know your bread’s done when it’s golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the top. Don’t worry, it’s not as weird as it sounds—just give it a little knock!
- Once baked - let it cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Let the bread cool before slicing to keep it fluffy. Just above room temperature is fine.
Notes
Bread Flour - Bread flour is a type of high-protein flour, typically containing around 12-14% protein, which helps develop gluten in bread. This increased gluten content helps the dough rise higher and gives the bread its characteristic structure and chewy texture.
Instant dry yeast - is sold in the baking isle of your supermarket. It is a dry form of yeast that when activated with wet ingredients creates gas and helps baked goods rise.
Milk powder: milk powder is dried milk which has been dehydrated. It can be found in the long-life milk isle of your supermarket. In this recipe it’s used to make the bread softer. I would recommend using full-fat milk powder and not skim milk powder. If you can’t find it, leave it out. The recipe will work ok without it, but the bread does come out softer with it.
Milk - I only tested this recipe using full cream cow’s milk. You want your milk to be lukewarm: 36-40C/98-105F on a kitchen thermometer.
Baking with a Pullman Loaf - If you use a Pullman loaf tin with a lid, you’ll get a perfectly squared loaf which looks and works great as sandwich bread. If you’re using the lid, the loaf might stick a little to the lid. Just jiggle the lid as you slowly slide the lid away. Without the lid, the bread will puff up and create a more traditional rounded top. Both versions are equally soft and delicious, so it’s really up to the look you prefer!
Storage - This Japanese Milk Bread can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
To freeze - slice the cooled loaf and wrap each slice (or the whole loaf) tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. The bread can be frozen for up to 2 months.
To thaw - remove the slices or loaf from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature until fully thawed. You can also warm the slices in a toaster or microwave for a quick refresh—just 20-30 seconds in the microwave or a light toasting brings the bread back to its soft, fluffy texture!
Nutrition - is an approximate and is based on per slice. This makes about 12 thick slices.
A note on measurements - this recipe is offered in weight measurements. This is in an effort to offer the most accurate way to get the best results. Cup measurements simply aren’t accurate enough for a recipe that needs precision and cup sizes differ depending on where you are in the world. Here is where you can learn more about how to measure ingredients using digital kitchen scales!
Nutrition
Calories:165kcal | Carbohydrates:23g | Protein:6g | Fat:6g | Saturated Fat:3g | Polyunsaturated Fat:0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat:2g | Trans Fat:0.1g | Cholesterol:41mg | Sodium:257mg | Potassium:113mg | Fiber:1g | Sugar:4g | Vitamin A:192IU | Vitamin C:0.3mg | Calcium:61mg | Iron:0.5mg
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