Japanese Milk Bread
this soft fluffy bread has a slightly sweet taste
Makes enough for: 1 loaf bread
Ingredients
- 125 mls milk, plus extra for glazing
- 7.5 mls instant dried yeast
- 90 mls water
- 400 g bread flour, divided, plus extra for dusting
- 30 g fructose
- 7.5 mls fine salt
- 80 mls cream
- 1 egg
- 24 g softened butter
- canola oil for greasing
- flaky salt for sprinkling
Method
- Place the milk into a small glass bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds
- Set aside to cool to 37° Celsius and when cool, sprinkle the yeast into the milk
- Stir to combine and set aside for at least 10 minutes
- Place the water and 15g of the flour into a small sauce pan and mix together with a spatula
- Heat over a low temperature, stirring occasionally, until thick and paste like
- Place into a large bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature
- Place the flour, fructose and salt into a stand mixer bowl and whisk to combine
- Add the milk, cream and egg to the cooled flour paste and whisk until smooth
- Add this to the flour and use a wooden spoon to mix the ingredients together until a dough forms *
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until you can shape the dough into a ball (you might need to add more flour at this stage, a little at a time)
- Flatten the dough and add the butter, then fold the dough over the butter
- Continue kneading until the dough is smooth (add more flour if it starts sticking)
- Shape into a ball, lightly oil your bowl and place the dough into it, seam side down
- Cover with a shower cap and leave to prove until doubled in size
- Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knock back
- Divide the dough into 4 190g balls and roll each one out to a rectangle, 20cm x 12.5cm
- With the long edge facing you, fold the bottom third of each piece towards the centre
- Then fold the top half towards the centre
- With the short end facing you, roll each piece into a tight sausage shape and neaten the ends
- Place each piece seam side down into a lined and sprayed loaf tin, with the spirals against the long edge
- Set aside uncovered to prove until doubled in size
- Preheat the oven to 180° Celsius
- Glaze the top of the bread with milk and sprinkle flaked salt onto the top
- Place into the oven to bake for 35 minutes
- Remove from the oven and place onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing
Notes
* if I make this again I will try using a dough hook to do this as well as the kneading