Japanese Milk Bread

Japanese milk bread, or Shokupan, was something I had heard of, and finally satisfied my curiousity with a bread class at The Chopping Block in Chicago, IL. Making and baking this bread is not nearly as intimidating or labor intensive as the recipe would have you think, and having a 9″x4″x13″ lidded pan helps, but the result is so worth it. It has a soft, uniform crumb, and adapts to so many uses that you want sliced bread for, it’s a favorite in my repertoire. Did I say it makes the best looking toast ever?

INGREDIENTS

For the tangzhong:
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons bread flour

For the dough:
2/3 cup whole milk
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
3-1/3 cups bread flour
3 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1-1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt

To finish:
2 tablespoons heavy cream (for washing the loaf)

DIRECTIONS

To make the tangzhong, combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan, whisking until no lumps remain.
Place the saucepan over low heat and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until thick and the whisk leaves obvious lines on the bottom of the pan (it will look like somewhat loose creamy mashed potatoes). This should take 3-5 minutes.
Transfer the hot tangzhong to the bowl of a stand mixer and add the 2/3 cup milk, stirring briefly to break the tangzhong into smaller hunks.
Add the yeast and 1/2 the flour to the bowl and knead briefly with the dough hook attachment.
Add the dry milk, sugar, eggs, and melted butter; mix to combine.
Add the remaining flour, followed by the salt, and continue kneading the dough on medium speed until a soft, slightly sticky dough is formed. This should take a good 15-20 minutes. While a good part of the dough will be clinging to the dough hook, the dough will still be clinging to the bottom of the bowl, and will not completely pull away from the bottom and sides of the bowl.
Shape the dough into a ball, and let it rest in a lightly greased bowl, covered, for 60-90 minutes, until nearly doubled in size.
Gently deflate the dough and divide it into 6 equal pieces.
Roll each piece of dough into a 4″ x 8″ rectangle, then fold it in thirds like a letter. Roll each of the folded pieces into a rectangle again, this time about 4″ x 6″, and, starting with a short end, roll them into a 4″ log. Pinch the seams firmly to seal the logs closed.
Place the logs in a row of six – seam side down and side by side – in a lightly greased 4″ x 4″ x 13″ Pullman loaf pan. Do not put the lid on the pan.
Cover the loaf with plastic wrap and allow it to rest/rise until approximately doubled in height. This should take about 40 minutes.
Toward the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
To bake, brush the loaf with heavy cream, or, alternatively, grease the inside of the Pullman loaf pan and put it in place, and bake until it is golden brown, and a digital thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 190 degrees. This should take 35-40 minutes.
Remove the loaf from the oven and cool it in the pan until you can transfer it safely to a rack to cool completely.