Japanese Milk Bread (No Tangzhong Method)

This soft and feathery light Asian milk bread is made without tangzhong

Japanese Milk Bread (No Tangzhong Method)

Soft, fluffy Japanese milk bread made without tangzhong. A simple cream-based method gives the loaf its signature pillowy texture, perfect for toast, sandwiches, or Korean-style street toast.

Course Bread, Breakfast

Cuisine Chinese, Japanese

Keyword hokkaido milk bread, Japanese milk bread, korean milk bread, milk bread, no tangzhong milk bread, shokupan

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 25

Resting Time 2

Total Time 2 55

Servings people

Calories 144

Author Hyegyoung K. Ford

Equipment

Pullman loaf pan See note below

Ingredients

2/3 cup (160 ml) milk lukewarm
1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy whipping cream lukewarm
1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
1 egg room temperature
2-1/4 tsp (7 g) instant yeast
2 tbsp (15 g) dry milk powder
1 tsp (6 g) salt
2-1/4 cup (300 g) bread flour + 2-3 tbsp extra if needed
egg wash (1 beaten egg with 1 tbsp water) for brushing
2 tbsp (30 g) melted butter

Instructions

Mix Ingredients: Using a mixing bowl from a stand mixer, mix together milk, cream, sugar, egg, instant yeast, powdered milk, and salt in a bowl. Add flour slowly and mix well to combine with wet ingredients using a wooden spoon.
Knead: Using a dough hook, start kneading the dough on low(stir) setting for 12-15 minutes. If the dough seems too sticky, add 2-3 more tablespoon of flour as needed. Resist adding too much flour. The dough should be very sticky.
First Rise: Turn out the dough on to a lightly floured surface, knead with your palm of your hand for 30 seconds. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm place until double in volume; about 1 hr.
Divide and Rest: Punch the dough to deflate. Turn it out on to a floured surface and knead for 30-60 seconds. Dived the dough into 3 equal portions. Shape each portion to a ball. Cover and let them rest for 15 minutes so that the gluten can relax.
Shape Loaf: Roll each dough ball into 7-8-inch long with a small rolling pin. Then flip the dough to the other side so that the smooth surface will face down. Fold it into thirds and rotate 90˚ degree so that the layered side is facing toward you. Start rolling the dough tightly and pinch the seam together to secure.
Second Rise: Place the dough in a greased loaf pan. Press down the top with your hand gently. Cover and let it rise again until double in volume, about 40 minutes.
Bake: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350˚F. When the dough is risen, brush the top with egg wash and bake for 22-25 minutes. If the top crust gets brown too quickly, loosely tent with a piece of foil.
Finish: Remove the bread from the oven and tap the pan lightly on the counter to keep the crust smooth. Brush the loaf with melted butter, then cool completely on a wire rack before slicing

Video

Notes

This bread bakes beautifully in a Pullman loaf pan for that classic square bakery look. You can bake with or without the lid — lid for a flat top, no lid for rounded mounds. If you don’t have one, a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan works perfectly too.
Milk bread stays soft for several days at room temperature. For longer storage, freeze whole or sliced loaves for up to 3 months. Reheat in a 300˚F oven until warm.

Nutrition