Japanese milk bread with tangzhong — pillowy soft

Incredibly soft, fluffy bread that stays fresh for days thanks to the tangzhong technique — a cooked flour-and-milk paste that allows the dough to absorb and retain more moisture. This is arguably the easiest enriched bread because the tangzhong method is foolproof and guarantees a cottony result.

Yield: 1 loaf | Prep: 25 min | Rise: 2 hrs | Bake: 30 min

Ingredients

Tangzhong (cook first):

• 20g (2 tbsp) bread flour
• 80ml (1/3 cup) whole milk

Dough:

• 330g (2 3/4 cups) bread flour
• 7g (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast
• 50g (1/4 cup) sugar
• 5g (1 tsp) salt
• 120ml (1/2 cup) whole milk, warm (110F)
• 1 large egg
• 42g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• All of the tangzhong

Instructions

1. Make tangzhong: Whisk 20g flour and 80ml milk in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until it forms a thick paste (reaches 149F). Takes 3-5 minutes. Cool to lukewarm.
2. Mix dough: Combine all dough ingredients except butter in a stand mixer. Mix with dough hook on low, then medium, for 5 minutes. Add softened butter, knead another 10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and pulling from the sides.
3. First rise: Cover, rise 1-1.5 hours until doubled.
4. Shape: Divide into 3 equal pieces. Roll each into a rectangle, roll up tightly, and place side by side in a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.
5. Second rise: Cover, rise 45-60 minutes until dough is 1 inch above the pan rim.
6. Bake: Preheat to 350F. Bake 30-35 minutes until golden. Internal temperature: 190F.

Tips

• The tangzhong pre-gelatinizes starch, allowing the flour to hold more moisture — this is why the bread stays soft for days
• A stand mixer is strongly recommended for enriched doughs
• The three-piece shaping creates the signature pull-apart layers
• Brushing with milk before baking gives a softer, shinier crust