Japanese Milk Bread

This Japanese milk bread is the softest dinner rolls you will ever make. Light and airy as a cloud, the bread dough uses the Asian method of water roux called tangzhong. Delish on its own, but perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

📝 Ingredients

• 30 ml Milk
• 90 ml Water
• 15 g Bread flour
• 120 ml Warm milk
• 7 g Instant dry yeast (or 21 grams Fresh Bakers Yeast)
• 25 g Sugar
• 15 g Milk powder
• 50 g Egg (large)
• 60 g Butter (unsalted, room temperature)
• 315 g Bread flour
• 5 g Kosher salt
• 1/2 Egg - beaten with 1 tbsp water (for egg wash)
• 2 tbsp Sesame seeds (or poppy seeds (optional))

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Tangzhong ---
2. 2Combine: In a saucepan, combine water and flour with a whisk until no lumps. Add the milk and combine well again. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook this mixture for 2 to 3 minutes. Keep stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
3. 3Transfer: Take it off the heat and transfer it to a bowl or plate. Cover and let cool to almost room temperature. Make sure the plastic touches the surface of the tangzhong to prevent skin.
4. 4--- Dough ---
5. 5Milk: Yeast mixture - In a stand mixer bowl, add the warm milk (110°F) and the yeast. Combine well with a whisk. Then, add the sugar, milk powder, egg, and cooled tangzhong.
6. 6Flour: Combine - Add the flour and salt. Turn the mixer on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until all the flour is well incorporated.
7. 7Knead - Continue to knead on medium speed for 5 to 6 minutes. Then, add the butter and continue to knead for 3 to 4 minutes more until you have a soft, smooth, and elastic dough.
8. 8Consistency: Bowl - When the dough is soft and shiny, but still slightly sticky, shape it into a ball. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, seam side down. Coat the surface with oil to prevent drying. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap.
9. 9Rise - Leave in a warm place. Let rise for 60 to 90 minutes until it doubles in volume.
10. 10--- Shape the rolls ---
11. 11Double: Punch - When the dough is doubled in volume, transfer it to a well-dusted floured surface. Punch down and reshape into a ball. Then, roll it into a small log.
12. 12Roll: Divide - Using a dough scraper, divide this log into three portions, and then each of those portions into three again. This should give you nine dinner rolls.
13. 13--- How to shape dinner rolls ---
14. 14Shape - Hold each piece of dough in your hand and gather all the seams together. Pinch the seams at the bottom. Then, place the ball on a non-flour surface while still holding it in your hand.
15. 15Loosen the grip on the dough and roll it back and forth into a tight circle against the work surface. You will feel the dough become tight and smooth.
16. 16--- Proof and bake ---
17. 17Baking Tray: Tray - Grease or spray a 9 x 9 square baking pan. Place the rolls in the pan. Alternatively, you can also place the rolls on a baking tray and bake them as individual rolls.
18. 18Proof - Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for about 45 minutes until almost doubled in size.
19. 19Preheat: Oven - When the rolls are almost double in volume, at about 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C / Gas Mark 5.
20. 20Egg wash: Eggwash - Brush the rolls with egg wash, milk, or cream.
21. 21Bake for about 22 to 25 minutes until lightly golden on top. When baked, brush with melted butter.
22. 22Tent: Cool - Take them out of the pan and cover them with a clean kitchen cloth for at least 5 minutes to keep them soft.
23. 23Enjoy!