Hokkaido Milk Bread

The softest, fluffiest most pillowy bread ever with an incredibly light crumb! Hokkaido Milk Bread is a Japanese Bread which uses the Tangzoug method. Try it once and you will want to eat it every single day!

Hokkaido Milk Bread

This bread is also known as Shokupan Bread and I am obsessed with this bread. OBSESSED..and so is everyone I have given some to. I have been making it in a variety of forms since January and it is sooooo good. The dough is the best dough I have ever worked with. It is so easy to handle and so beautiful too!

What is the Tangzoug method?

The tangzhoug method involves making a roux with water and flour or water, milk and flour or just milk and flour.

The tangzhong method was first made popular in a cookbook by Yvonne Chen, called 65°C Bread Doctor.

The 65°C refers to the fact that at 65 degrees C (149 degrees F) is when the starches in the flour gelatinise and the tangzhong comes together into a roux.

The ratio for Tangzhoug is around 5 parts liquid to 1 part flour. 

Tangzhong bread is loved because it is so soft but also because it stays soft thanks to this secret method.

Yeast

Often the recipes for this bread ask for the use of Instant Yeast which is similar to but not the same as Active Dry Yeast. Active dry yeast requires activation in liquid, but instant yeast does not.

Some recipes insist the two yeasts are interchangeable but I think it is better if using Active Dry Yeast to let it bloom in part of the milk before adding it to the bread.

How to make Hokkaido Milk Bread

• Add milk and a little flour to a small pan. Mix until smooth and no lumps remain. 7 - 8 mins. This can be made a day ahead.
• Measure out remaining ingredients (flour, yeast, milk, cream, butter, sugar, salt and egg) and add the cooled tangzhong.
• Mix together the cream, milk, tangzhoug, eggs and yeast for a couple of minutes.
• Now add the flour, salt and sugar and mix again till it feels elastic.
• Add the butter cube by cube until incorporated fully.
• Once the dough is no longer sticky, transfer to an oiled bowl and let rise until doubled. (1 Hour).
• Knock back the dough, divide into three pieces and roll each piece into an oval.
• Fold one side of dough over to halfway across the remaining dough then fold the other side to meet that side. Then roll the dough up. 
• Repeat with the other pieces of dough then put all three rolls of dough in an oiled loaf pan.
• Cover and leave to rise for 30 more minutes.
• Brush with egg wash. 
• Bake for approx 35 - 40 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning onto a cooling rack to cool.

NOTES

You don’t have to fold the pieces of dough in the traditional way. I just like the look of it. You can always make rolls instead or shape it how you like. If making rolls, the baking time will be reduced to 20 - 25 minutes. I have some variations coming soon!

Make sure you grease the bread tin so you aren't wrestling to get it out of the tin later. 

With this bread, if you choose to slice it, it is better to wait till it cools but once you smell it, you may want do what I do and just tear it apart with your hands.

This bread is best served on the day it is baked but because of the Tangzhoug, it keeps well anyway.

You can add tangzhong to ANY bread recipe and make it softer than it would otherwise be. 

You can add 2 - 3 tbsp of Milk Powder to the dough for an even softer dough. Just take out that quantity of flour.

You can also add 1 tbsp of Sweetened Condensed Milk into the dough.

It can also be frozen, if well wrapped for up to 3 weeks.

You can make this recipe in a bread machine but don't add extra flour. The dough is meant to be sticky.

Make sure the salt and years don't come into contact with each other. Add them at opposite ends of your mixer.

If using dry yeast, activate it first.

More bread recipes:

Nutella Bread

Easiest No Knead Bread Recipe

Adapted from a combination of recipes - Joanne Chang, Bon Appetite and Kind Arthur Flour. 

5 from 3 votes

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Hokkaido Milk Bread

The softest, fluffiest most pillowy bread ever with n incredibly light crumb! Hokkaido Milk Bread is a Japanese Bread with uses the Tangzoug method. Try it once and you will want to eat it every single day!

Course Baking

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword Hokkaido, Japanese Milk Bread, Milk Bread

Prep Time 30 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes

Servings 20

Calories 233 kcal

Author Safira

Ingredients

Tangzhoug

• 45 g Strong Bread Flour
• 100 g Water
• 140 g Milk

Dough

• 2 large Eggs
• 14 g Instant Dry Yeast or Active Dry Yeast. See notes
• 100 g Double Cream
• 140 g Milk
• 710 g Strong Bread Flour
• 100 g Caster Sugar
• 115 g Butter In cubes, at room temperature
• 2 tsp Salt

Egg Wash

• 1 Egg Yolk Whisked. You can add a splash of milk to this if you like.

Instructions

1. In a small pan, whisk together the water, milk and flour over medium-low heat, whisking constantly. It will thicken very quickly and continue to thicken. I would say 1 - 2 minutes is enough time for this process.

2. Allow the Tangzhoug to cool, add to the bowl of a stand mixer, then add the eggs, yeast, double cream and milk to the mixer. Mix on low for 2 minutes before adding the strong bread flour, sugar and salt. Continue to mix on low for 5 minutes. The dough will begin to come together and will be elastic.

3. Add the butter bit by bit and continue to mix on medium/low for 10 minutes.

4. Cover the bowl with cling film or a damp towel and prove in a warm space for 1 hour. You can oil the bowl or use a sperate oiled bowl but I didn't and it was fine.

5. Punch the dough down and bring all the edges into the center.

6. Return to the bowl, cover again and allow to rise for 30 minutes.

7. Add flour to your work surface and greast 2 loaf pans.

8. Divide the dough in half and divide each half into 3 or 4 equal parts.

9. Roll each peice of dough into an oval of 5 inches wide. Fold one side of the oval in to the centre and then the opposite end to meet it. The roll the dough up and place seam side down in the loaf tin. Continue with other peices. There should be 4 rolls per tin.

10. Cover the tins with cling film and allow to proce for 1 hour.

11. Preheat the oven to 180 °C/Gas Mark 4. Brush over the egg yolk and bake in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes.

12. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

Recipe Notes

Other Shapes

You don’t have to fold the pieces of dough in the traditional way. I just like the look of it. You can always make rolls instead or shape it how you like. If making rolls, the baking time will be reduced to 20 - 25 minutes. I have some variations coming soon!

Grease the tins

Make sure you grease the bread tin so you aren't wrestling to get it out of the tin later. 

Best Served and Storage

With this bread, if you choose to slice it, it is better to wait till it cools but once you smell it, you may want do what I do and just tear it apart with your hands.

This bread is best served on the day it is baked but it ok to store at room temperature for 2 - 4 days.

It can also be frozen, if well wrapped for up to 3 weeks.

Freeze unbaked - Freeze unbaked for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge over night or on the counter top on the day of baking. Then bake as above.

Freeze baked: The baked bread can be frozen minus egg wash for up to 2 months as long as it is well wrapped and in a sealed container that keeps out moisture. You can then egg wash and bake in the oven at 150 C/gas Mark 2 for around 30 - 40 minutes.

Tangzhoug

You can add tangzhong to ANY bread recipe and make it softer than it would otherwise be. 

Additions

You can add 2 - 3 tbsp of Milk Powder to the dough for an even softer dough. Just take out that quantity of flour.

You can also add 1 tbsp of Sweetened Condensed Milk into the dough.

Bread Machine

You can make this recipe in a bread machine but don't add extra flour. The dough is meant to be sticky.

Yeast

Make sure the salt and yeast don't come into contact with each other. Add them at opposite ends of your mixer.

Active dry yeast vs instant yeast 

Instant yeast and active dry yeast are interchangeable at a 1:1 ratio. However, active dry yeast needs to be bloomed with liquid before continuing with the recipe and may take longer to rise. What I do when using active dry yeast is add the yeast to the warmed liquid from the recipe and let it stand for 10 minutes before continuing with the recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Hokkaido Milk Bread

Amount Per Serving

Calories 233 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Cholesterol 49mg16%

Sodium 290mg13%

Potassium 67mg2%

Carbohydrates 33g11%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 280IU6%

Calcium 30mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.