Japanese-style Shokupan (milk bread)

Name: Japanese-style Shokupan (milk bread)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 350 g strong white bread flour, plus extra for shaping; 200 ml whole milk, at room temperature; 1 tsp easy bake yeast; 20 g granulated sugar; 35 g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing; 1 tsp fine salt; Vegetable oil, for greasing

This bread uses a ‘yudane’ which is made by mixing bread flour and boiling water together. This mixture is left overnight in the fridge, before being incorporated into the main dough. It's a clever way of adding more liquid to a dough than is possible in a traditional bread recipe and makes for a super-soft and fluffy loaf.

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Vegetarian

Makes1
CourseSide
Prepare30 mins
Cook30 mins
Total time1 hr
Plusovernight resting and proving

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350g strong white bread flour, plus extra for shaping
200ml whole milk, at room temperature
1 tsp easy bake yeast
20g granulated sugar
35g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
1 tsp fine salt
Vegetable oil, for greasing

The night before, place 70g of the flour in a medium bowl and add 55ml boiling water. Mix well and when cool, cover and place in the fridge overnight.
Place the remaining flour, the milk, yeast, sugar, butter and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Remove the yudane (flour mixture) from the fridge and tear into pieces. Mix slowly, then gradually increase the speed and mix for 20 minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth, and a hole made in the dough remains and doesn’t close up again. Transfer to a large, clean, lightly greased bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size
Turn the dough onto a clean lightly floured surface. Cut it into 3 equal pieces (weigh them for accuracy), then roll each piece into a ball. Cover with the tea towel and leave for another 20 minutes. Meanwhile, butter a 900g loaf tin.
Using a little flour, roll one piece of dough into a 15x20cm rectangle. Fold the longer edges to meet in the middle, then roll the dough up from one of the shorter edges. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Place each one into the prepared tin, seam-sides down, side by side. Cover with a clean damp tea towel and prove for another 20 minutes or until the dough has risen to the top of the tin. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6.
Place the loaf into the oven, reduce the temperature to 180ºC, gas mark 4 and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden and risen. Remove from the tin and leave to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

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