Sunday 12 July 2015

Hokkaido Milk Bread

Prep Time : 2 hrs 25min
Cook Time : 35 min
Yield : 1 loaf
Freezer Friendly : Yes


I always wanted to make light and fluffy bread. Unfortunately, all the breads from the breadmaker recipe does not yield smooth texture as those I bought in bakery. They are just 'coarsely' textured bread which I myself does not really favour. My BM uses Alex Goh's scalded dough method.

I found this recipe on pininterest which is using Tang Zhong method and decided to give it a try as I always believe I can make those soft breads if the seller at marketplace can do it (I mean I believe that they did not put any bread softener/preservatives like normal bakeries)

Result? The best bread I have ever made! Though the crust seems hard when I press it, it us surprisingly soft to eat after slicing it. Super yum! I think my toddler will love it! 

Ingredients:
Tang Zhong
25g bread flour
100ml water

Bread
125ml fresh milk, lukewarm
1 egg + 1 for eggwash
50g cane sugar
1tsp salt
350g bread flour
2 1/4tsp instant yeast
30g unsalted butter at room temperature

Steps:
1) To use Tang Zhong method, whisk bread flour and water in a saucepan, put under medium-low heat, whisking continuosly until the mixture thickens to pudding like texture, and you can draw a clear line in middle using your whisk. It took me 2-3min. Off fire.
2) Put the bread ingredients except butter and egg for eggwash in accordance to sequence above into breadpan.
3) Insert breadpan into BM, select Function 6, Dough which takes 20min. As soon as the mixture binds together( after 1 min of mixing), add butter and Tang Zhong mixture. 
4) Do the window pane test, if fail, hand knead a few more minutes until pass.
5) Put the dough back into breadpan (without on) to proof for 40min or until double size. 
6) Punch out air from dough, divide into 4 equal portion, roll each portion into a ball, place in a greased tray, let it sit for 15min.
7) Roll out each dough into oval shape, fold the left and right side of oval shape into the middle, like how you fold your sleeve of a shirt. Take note the width of the roll will depends how much you fold, so ensure after folding, the width is a little smalker than the width of your loafpan as it will rise during the 2nd proof. Then from the bottom, roll up like you roll a carpet, place into greased loaf pan with seam side down. 
8) Let it proof for another 40min until it reaches just below the rim of 9x5 inch loaf pan.
9) Pre-heat oven to 175 degree celcius.
10) Egg wash the top and bake for 35min until top is brown and sounds hollow when loaf pan is tapped.

Original Recipe: