Japanese Milk Bread

This recipe teaches us how to make the most authentic, softest, and fluffiest Japanese Milk Bread at home. The pre-fermented dough (biga) in this recipe can bring an extra rich flavor and fluffy texture to your Japanese milk bread. And the pre-fermented method saves you much time on the second day, so that you will be able to make this warm and soft bread after you get home from work or school.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 cup + 2 tbsps bread flour ((can be substitued with all purpose flour))
• 1/2 cup milk ((can be substitued with soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, or oat milk))
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup bread flour
• 2 tbsp milk powder ((highly recomanded but optional))
• 1 large egg ((seperate the egg white and egg yolk))
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp butter ((softened at room temperature))

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Make the pre-fermented dough (biga) ---
2. 2Microwave ½ cup of milk for 30 seconds to warm but not hot. Stir to evenly distribute the heated and cold milk. (The wamed milk should feel similar to your body temperature, about 100 °F/38°C.)
3. 3Sprinkle 1 tsp of active dry yeast over the surface of milk, stir to get all the yeast moistened. Set aside to proof for 10 minutes.
4. 4Mix the milk yeast mixture and 1 cup + 2 tbsps bread flour in a mixing bowl. Mix with hands or a stand mixer until there's no dry flour in the mixing bowl. Shape the dough into a ball. (It's normal if the dough looks rough like a cauliflower.)
5. 5Cover with food wrap, let the dough rise under room temperatue (about 72 °F) for 1 hour. Transfer the dough to the fridge, allow it to keep rising in the fridge overnight (about 12 hours, can go upwards of 48 hours).
6. 6--- Make the final dough ---
7. 7Add bread flour, milk powder (optioanl), egg white, heavy whipping cream, sugar, and salt to the mixing bowl of stand mixer. Tear the pre-fermented dough (biga) into small pieces and add to the mixing bowl.
8. 8Knead the dough with stand mixer at medium speed (speed 3) for about 10 minutes until the dough turns very sticky.
9. 9Pause the stand mixer, add 1 tsp of room-temperature softened butter to the dough.
10. 10Keep kneading the dough with stand mixer at medium high speed (speed 4) for about 25 minutes until the dough looks smooth and the sides of the mixing bowl looks clean.
11. 11Do the window pane test to the dough.
12. 12Shape the dough into a ball, place the dough back to the mixing bowl and cover with food wrap. Set aside and allow the dough to grow under room temperature (72 °F) for 40 minutes - 1 hour, until it's doubled in size.
13. 13Transfer the dough to a non-stick pastry mat (or a lightly floured working surface). Cut the dough into 3 equal portions.
14. 14Shape each dough into a ball. Cover with food wrap, set aside, and allow them to rest under room temperature for 15 minutes.
15. 15Take one of the dough, place it on the non-stick pastry mat with the smooth surface facing down. Press gently with your fingers to squeeze out the air. Cover the rolling pin with some food wrap (or lightly flour the rolling pin) to prevent it from sticking. Roll the dough into a 12×3 inch rectangle. (My loaf pan is 3 inch wide. You should make your dough the same width of your loaf pan.)
16. 16Roll up each dough into a log shape.
17. 17Take one of the dough, place it vertically with the smooth surface facing down and the sealed end facing up. Roll it out into a 12×3 inch rectangle again. Repeat with all the doughs.
18. 18Place 3 doughs side by side in a loaf pan. (Brush a thin layer of cooking oil/butter to the loaf pan if it's not non-stick.)
19. 19Create a warm and moist environmen by setting the oven to 95°F (35°C), and putting a bowl of hot water by the loaf pan. Allow the doughs to proof in the oven for 1 hour until doubled in size.
20. 20Add ½ tbsp of milk to 1 egg yolk, mix well.
21. 21Gently brush the top surface of each dough with a layer of milk egg yolk mixture.
22. 22Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Send back to bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
23. 23After baking for 10 -15 minutes, when the surface of the loaf has reached the desired brownish color, cover the loaf with a foil to prevent it from over-coloring.
24. 24Take out the loaf pan from the oven, transfer the loaf to cooling rack, allow it to cool down on with its side up. (Laying the bread loaf on its side can prevent the bread from shrinking.)
25. 25This Japanese milk bread tastes best when it's warm!!! Can be stored in an airtight container under room temperature for three or four days, or in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to three months. Never keep your bread in the fridge.