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Chef John's Japanese Milk Bread

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PREP TIME
30 min
COOKING TIME
40 min
TOTAL TIME
260 min
SERVINGS
10 servings
Japanese
Chef John's Japanese Milk Bread
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup bread flour
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 2 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 (.25 ounce) package instant dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup warm whole milk (110 degrees F (43 degrees C))
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed
  • 1 tablespoon milk, or as needed
Instructions
1
Combine bread flour, water, and milk to create a smooth paste in a small saucepan. Place the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until it reaches a thick consistency and is almost boiling. To verify, check the temperature; it should be at least 150 degrees F (65 degrees C). Remove from heat and transfer the mixture to a measuring cup, where you'll need exactly 1/2 cup. Allow it to cool to room temperature, approximately 30 minutes.
2
Combine bread flour, cooled starter, salt, sugar, yeast, warm milk, and egg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Mix on low speed until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, scraping down the sides as necessary. This process should take around 5 minutes.
3
Stop the mixer and scrape the dough off the hook and into the bowl. Add butter and knead on low speed until the dough is slightly sticky but smooth and elastic, scraping down the sides as needed. This step should take 10 to 12 minutes.
4
Form a smooth ball with the dough and transfer it to a lightly buttered bowl. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm location until it has doubled in size, approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
5
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
6
Press and shape the dough into a 9-inch wide rectangle on a work surface. Knead out any air pockets and shape the dough into a log, starting from one 9-inch side. Place the log into the prepared loaf pan with the seam facing down. Press the dough gently to ensure it's evenly distributed. Cover the pan and let the dough rise until it reaches the top of the pan, approximately 35 to 45 minutes.
7
Brush the top of the loaf with just enough milk to lightly coat the surface.
8
Bake the bread in the center of the preheated oven until the top is golden brown and the loaf is beautifully puffed up, approximately 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the bread and place it on a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature before slicing, approximately 1 hour.