Japanese Hokkaido Milk Bread

Have you ever baked a loaf of bread?

A perfect warm fluffy thing that brings joy in the darkest corners of your heart?

There was a time I used to be afraid of baking breads. I dunno why but I wouldn't touch yeasted recipes with a 10 foot pole. And then came a day when I baked my first loaf of fresh white bread. IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING EVER.

I'd read in books how satisfying and rewarding a loaf of bread fresh from the oven is . In this Sophie Kinsella book actually. It was perfectly true. And although I still don't always have successful breads, this recipe is always there to counter the fails.

My grandparents live in Hyderabad. Every-time I visit them , there is always a tin of condensed milk and a loaf of milk bread from the local bakery waiting for me. And that loaf of milk bread is is practically cake with an identity crisis because its so ,just so delicious. In a nostalgic attempt to recreate the sweet cloud of love I found this Japanese method of bread making . They use a milk water flour roux in the bread to give it a softer texture called Tanzhong. You can read more about it here, although that's not the recipe I used. 

I used this recipe from Christine's Kitchen. She has a massive Tanzhong bread collection , some of which I mean to try very soon. 

tanzhong

This is a rich recipe with butter, eggs and milk.Almost brioche like.It even calls for milk powder , but sadly I didn't have any lying around. I guess next time , it can only improve on its wonderful taste. I went ahead and added some raisins to it. Like all bread recipes it can be used plain or filled with savoury or sweet things. Juts adjust the sugar and salt accordingly

Hokkaido Milk Bread

Tanzhong

1. 1/3 cup flour
2. 1/2 cup milk
3. 1/2cup water

Method :

Mix all ingredients. Put on flame and keep stirring till mixture thickens and reaches 65 C or pulls away clean from the pan. 

Cool to achieve room temperature

USE 1/2 OF THIS FOR THE FOLLOWING RECIPE

Bread

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cup flour
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp milk powder( I didn't have any , so I skipped it)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 volume of tanzhong

Method

• Mix 1 tbsp sugar in 3 tbsp of water and stir in yeast . Leave it undisturbed for about 10-15 minutes
• Pour all your ingredients in a bowl
• Using hands or dough maker, make a dough! I

Note: Its will be a very sticky dough , but that's what makes it awesome . So if you're tempted to add more flour , DONT

• Now knead and knead and knead till it reaches a smooth-er feel . It'll take about 10 minutes by hand
• Place in a greased bowl , cover with cling-wrap or wet towel. 
• Ferment for about 40 minutes or till it doubles in size. I like to keep my dough out on the window sill in sunshine to get the right temperature.
• Divide dough in 3 parts
• Flatten out each part and roll each one up
• Place all three in a bread tin. Ferment for another 30 minutes.
• Brush with an egg wash 
• Bake in preheated oven at 190 C for about 40-45 minutes
• Once removed from the oven WAIT for it to reach room temperature before slicing. I know it's tempting but it will fall apart otherwise. 

Go take a power nap . Wake up , slice bread.

Slather with love, joy, butter or nutella and gobble gobble gobble :D