Shokupan Japanese Milk Bread Loaf

In a small saucepan, whisk together the water, milk, and 30g bread flour for the tangzhong. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a paste-like consistency, about 3-5 minutes. It should be thick enough to leave trails when stirred. Remove from heat, transfer to a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface, and let it cool completely to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the 250g bread flour, granulated sugar, salt, and instant dry yeast. Whisk them together until well combined.

Add the cooled tangzhong, warm milk, and softened butter to the dry ingredients. Mix with a spoon or your hands until a shaggy dough forms and all ingredients are roughly incorporated.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface or a stand mixer with a dough hook. Knead for 10-15 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes the windowpane test (a small piece can be stretched thin enough to see light through without tearing).

Place the kneaded dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.

Gently punch down the dough to release air. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into an oval, then fold the longer sides towards the center, overlapping slightly. Roll it up tightly from one end to form a cylinder. Place the three cylinders seam-side down into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Cover the loaf pan loosely with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place for another 45-60 minutes, or until the dough has risen to about 1 inch above the rim of the pan.

Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 90-93°C (195-200°F). If the top browns too quickly, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil.

Once baked, immediately remove the loaf from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. This prevents the bottom from becoming soggy and allows the crumb to set properly.