--- title: "Japanese Milk Bread with Dough Conditioner" description: "Ultra-soft, fluffy Japanese milk bread (shokupan) made with a tangzhong flour paste and a custom dough conditioner for improved texture and shelf life." url: "https://briansunter.com/recipes/japanese-milk-bread-v2" --- # Japanese Milk Bread with Dough Conditioner Ultra-soft, fluffy Japanese milk bread (shokupan) made with a tangzhong flour paste and a custom dough conditioner for improved texture and shelf life. 35 minutes cook 30 minutes prep 3 hours 30 minutes total 1 serving bread japanese baking milk-bread tangzhong Scale Units ## Ingredients - 323 g bread flour - 120 g whole milk - 8 g vital wheat gluten - 3 g ascorbic acid - 2 g lecithin - 50 g granulated sugar - 7 g instant yeast - 5 g salt - 30 g milk powder - 120 g warm whole milk - 50 g egg - 56 g unsalted butter - \- egg wash ## Equipment - saucepan - bowl - stand mixer - loaf pan - oven - wire rack ## Instructions ### Tangzhong 1 In a small saucepan , whisk together 23 g bread flour and 120 g whole milk until no lumps remain. Heat over medium-low, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens to a paste, about 5 minutes . It should reach around 170F/77C and leave a trail when you drag your whisk through it. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. ### Dough Conditioner 2 In a small bowl , mix together 8 g vital wheat gluten , 3 g ascorbic acid , and 2 g lecithin . Set aside. Note The dough conditioner improves texture and shelf life. The vital wheat gluten increases elasticity, ascorbic acid strengthens the gluten network, and lecithin improves moisture retention. Note If you can't find lecithin, substitute with @diastatic malt powder{3%g}. ### Mix the Dough 3 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine 300 g bread flour , 50 g granulated sugar , 7 g instant yeast , 5 g salt , 30 g milk powder , and the dough conditioner mixture. Mix on low speed to combine. ### Add Wet Ingredients 4 Add the cooled tangzhong, 120 g warm whole milk (about 110F/43C), and 50 g egg (about 1 large egg) to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase to medium speed and knead for 5 minutes . ### Add Butter 5 Add 56 g unsalted butter , softened, a small portion at a time, allowing each addition to incorporate before adding the next. Continue kneading for 7-10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes the windowpane test. Note The windowpane test: when you stretch a small piece of dough, it should form a thin, translucent membrane without tearing. ### First Rise 6 Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl . Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place (about 80-85F/27-29C) until doubled in size, about 60-90 minutes . ### Shape the Loaf 7 Punch down the dough and divide into 3 or 4 equal pieces (about 200-215g each for 3 pieces). Shape each piece into a ball, then roll each ball into an oval. Fold the oval into thirds like a letter, then roll it up from one end to form a cylinder. Place the cylinders, seam side down, in a greased 9x5-inch (23x13cm) loaf pan . ### Second Rise 8 Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let rise until the dough reaches about 1 inch (2.5cm) above the rim of the pan, about 40-60 minutes . ### Bake 9 Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Gently brush the top of the loaf with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 15 g water). Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190F/88C. ### Cool 10 Remove from the oven and immediately turn out onto a wire rack . Let cool completely before slicing. Note Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. View Cooklang Source recipe.cook ``` --- title: Japanese Milk Bread with Dough Conditioner description: "Ultra-soft, fluffy Japanese milk bread (shokupan) made with a tangzhong flour paste and a custom dough conditioner for improved texture and shelf life." servings: 1 total time: 3 hours 30 minutes prep time: 30 minutes cook time: 35 minutes tags: [bread, japanese, baking, milk-bread, tangzhong] cuisine: Japanese difficulty: intermediate rating: 4.5 --- == Tangzhong == In a small #saucepan{}, whisk together @bread flour{23%g} and @whole milk{120%g} until no lumps remain. Heat over medium-low, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens to a paste, about ~{5%minutes}. It should reach around 170F/77C and leave a trail when you drag your whisk through it. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. == Dough Conditioner == In a small #bowl{}, mix together @vital wheat gluten{8%g}, @ascorbic acid{3%g}, and @lecithin{2%g}. Set aside. > The dough conditioner improves texture and shelf life. The vital wheat gluten increases elasticity, ascorbic acid strengthens the gluten network, and lecithin improves moisture retention. > If you can't find lecithin, substitute with @diastatic malt powder{3%g}. == Mix the Dough == In the bowl of a #stand mixer{} fitted with a dough hook, combine @bread flour{300%g}, @granulated sugar{50%g}, @instant yeast{7%g}, @salt{5%g}, @milk powder{30%g}, and the dough conditioner mixture. Mix on low speed to combine. == Add Wet Ingredients == Add the cooled tangzhong, @warm whole milk{120%g} (about 110F/43C), and @egg{50%g} (about 1 large egg) to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase to medium speed and knead for ~{5%minutes}. == Add Butter == Add @unsalted butter{56%g}, softened, a small portion at a time, allowing each addition to incorporate before adding the next. Continue kneading for ~{7-10%minutes} until the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes the windowpane test. > The windowpane test: when you stretch a small piece of dough, it should form a thin, translucent membrane without tearing. == First Rise == Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased #bowl{}. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place (about 80-85F/27-29C) until doubled in size, about ~{60-90%minutes}. == Shape the Loaf == Punch down the dough and divide into 3 or 4 equal pieces (about 200-215g each for 3 pieces). Shape each piece into a ball, then roll each ball into an oval. Fold the oval into thirds like a letter, then roll it up from one end to form a cylinder. Place the cylinders, seam side down, in a greased 9x5-inch (23x13cm) #loaf pan{}. == Second Rise == Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let rise until the dough reaches about 1 inch (2.5cm) above the rim of the pan, about ~{40-60%minutes}. == Bake == Preheat #oven{} to 350F/175C. Gently brush the top of the loaf with @egg wash{1} (1 egg beaten with 15g water). Bake for ~{30-35%minutes} until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190F/88C. == Cool == Remove from the oven and immediately turn out onto a #wire rack{}. Let cool completely before slicing. > Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. ```