🍞 Japanese-style milk bread

Ingredients

• 350 g bread flour, 20 g of it for the paste
• 1.1111111111111112 cup whole milk, 100 g of it for the paste
• 1 eggs, large
• 40 g granulated sugar
• 6 g table salt
• 7 g active dry yeast
• 40 g butter, salted, softened

Time

Hands-on time is when you’re busy; the rest is rising, simmering, chilling or cooling, when you can do something else.

How long it keeps

• Counter: wrapped, about 3 days (NDSU’s figure for bread and rolls). Cornell Extension advises against keeping bread in the refrigerator.
• Freezer: cool completely, wrap in plastic and then foil or a freezer bag, up to 3 months (University of Missouri). Slice first so you can take out what you need; a whole loaf thaws in its wrapping on the counter in about 3 hours (Cornell).

Nutrition

Steps

You’ll need: small saucepan and whisk, bowl or stand mixer, 8½ × 4½-inch loaf pan.

1. Paste: whisk 20 g (2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon) of the flour into 100 g (scant ½ cup) of the milk in a small pan. Cook over medium-low, whisking, until it thickens like pudding and the whisk leaves lines, 2 to 3 minutes. Cool to lukewarm.
2. Warm the rest of the milk to about 110°F and stir in the yeast. Add the paste, egg, sugar, salt and the rest of the flour and mix.
3. Knead 10 minutes (it starts sticky), then knead in the butter a little at a time and knead 5 to 10 minutes more, until very smooth and stretchy.
4. Cover and let it rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
5. Divide into 3 pieces. Roll each into an oval, fold in the long sides, and roll it up from the short end. Set the 3 rolls side by side in the greased pan.
6. Let rise until the top is about ½ inch over the rim, 45 to 60 minutes. Heat the oven to 350°F. Brush with milk.
7. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until deep golden and about 190°F in the middle. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then on a rack.