Soft and Fluffy Japanese Milk Bread

Try our recipe for the best milk bread with the softest, fluffiest crumb! This is also known as Japanese milk bread, Hokkaido milk bread, Korean milk bread (우유식빵), Chinese milk bread, or shokupan.

If you're looking for the best homemade milk bread with the fluffiest, softest crumb, look no further! This recipe is from my mom, a retired pastry chef, that's been adapted for the home baker. You'll end up with professional bakery results from this simple, easy recipe for milk bread!

What is milk bread?

Milk bread is an incredibly soft, fluffy, light white bread made with milk that's perfect for toast, sandwiches, or simple enjoying by itself. It goes by many names and is also known as Japanese milk bread, shokupan, Korean milk bread (우유식빵), Chinese milk bread, or Hokkaido milk bread.

Japanese milk bread is also called 'shokupan' in Japan, which is translates to 'eating bread' because it can be eaten every day as a simple, white bread. Hokkaido milk bread is made from milk from Hokkaido, which is known for their high quality milk and dairy products.

They're sold in most Asian bakeries such as 85° Bakery, Tous Les Jours, and Paris Baguette. They can be baked in open loaf pans to reveal a golden, brown crust or baked in pullman loaf pans for a rectangular shape that's great for sandwiches.

Asian milk bread is traditionally made using 'tangzhong' or 'yuddane' which is a roux or starter made by heating water and flour together. But my mom let me in on a baker's secret for the fluffiest, softest milk bread which is using dough enhancer!

Dough enhancer is what professional bakers use to get soft, light, fluffy breads that stay fresh for longer periods. It's also called dough conditioner or dough improver, and there are different benefits depending on what ingredients are added.

Tangzhong vs Dough Enhancer

While both tangzhong and dough enhancer can achieve soft and fluffy milk bread, dough enhancer is used and preferred by professional bakers because of it's far more consistent and reliable than using tangzhong.

The type of flour, level of humidity, and duration of cooking time are all variables to control when making tangzhong, which can make it difficult for the home baker. On the other hand, dough enhancer is specially formulated and the amount added is based on the weight of flour which makes it easy to calculate for the home baker.

A sign of perfectly baked milk bread is a soft, stretchy texture that easily pull apart with your hands as seen in the photo above. The crumb should be soft, fluffy, and delicate while showing proper gluten development. Continue reading for step by step photos and instructions for how to achieve this!

Ingredients

• Bread flour - Bread flour has higher protein content for more gluten development which is necessary for milk bread.
• Milk - I used 2% milk for this recipe but you can use non-fat or whole milk.
• Sugar & active dry yeast - The yeast feeds on the sugar to release carbon dioxide which proofs the bread.
• Dough enhancer - Highly recommended for the softest, fluffiest milk bread. It also keeps bread fresh for days.

How to make Japanese milk bread (shokupan)

Make the dough

1. Add all the ingredients except the butter in a stand mixer.
2. Once the dry flour is incorporated fully, add the butter and mix on high.
3. Once you get a smooth, round ball in the mixer check for proper gluten development. For me, it took 10 to 13 minutes but timing will vary depending on your mixer.
4. Take a small piece of dough and stretch it between your fingers. If you can stretch it thin enough to see your fingerprint without it tearing, it's ready. This is called the 'windowpane test'.
5. Form the dough into a loose ball and place it in a proofing container greased with oil.
6. Place in a warm, humid place away from sunlight until it doubles in size.

Shape and form the dough

1. Divide the dough into 6 equal parts and form into a ball. Let it rest for 15 minutes loosely covered.
2. Roll out the dough into an oval shape. Flip it over so the surface (crust) is on the bottom.
3. Letter fold: Fold the top and bottom third over the center.
4. Rotate 90° and roll it up to form a spiral while pressing down.
5. Pinch the seam closed and add three pieces seam side down into a loaf pan.
6. Proof in a warm, humid place until it doubles in size or it's 1cm below the rim of the loaf pan.

Bake and enjoy!

1. Bake at 356° for 25 minutes or until there's a golden brown crust.
2. Immediately apply a thin layer of egg wash. To do this, crack an egg in a small bowl and mix together. Using a pastry brush, brush on a thin layer of the egg mixture. The heat from the bread will cook the egg, giving you a shiny golden crust.
3. Remove the loaves from the pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Properly made milk bread should pull apart easily to reveal a soft, light, fluffy interior. The crumb should look smooth without irregularity and should pull apart in stretchy 'strips', which shows proper gluten development and shaping.

Recipe tips

• The dough should pass the windowpane test for proper gluten development.
• Use dough enhancer for soft, fluffy bread with consistent results every time.
• Be gentle when handling the dough and be sure not to tear it during shaping. Tearing the dough will result in an irregular crumb without enough oven spring.
• Don't rush the proofing process, make sure the dough doubles in size.
• Tightly form the spirals to achieve proper oven spring during the bake.

FAQ

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Please share, rate, or comment below. I'd love to hear from you!

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Thanks so much for stopping by! 🧡 -Jamie

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