Oct 10, 2017 Apr 20, 2023 by [Archana Potdar] · This post may contain affiliate links · 29 Comments

Hokkaido Milk Bread with Tangzhong

The cottony soft texture of Asian Sweet Bread is something that you understand only if you touch and eat it.

This delicious fluffy bread is also known as Japanese Milk bread and easy to make. Also called shokupan which means eating bread.

Soft and delicious shaped Hokkaido Milk Bread with Tangzhong — Shaped Bread

Why am I love this Bread?

During the lockdown, my biggest problem was making chapatis that everyone likes.

Akanksha then told me, "Ma let’s make Ladi pav. I will knead and shape you just supervise. Also, make Pav bhaji or misal". She does not like both pav bhaji and misal pav.

I guess my Baby became an Big Girl then!

Breads made at home for dinner — Homemade Bread

What is Ladi Pav?

So the pav Akanksha was referring to was Ladi Pav also known as Hokkaido Milk Bread.

A soft bread is totally addictive and milky and satisfyingly delicious .

Hokkaido Milk Bread is one of the best bread I have bake. It is soft, sweetish, milk and yet slightly chewy. The bread is also known as Japanese Milk Bread as it originates from Japan. There is a secret ingredient that goes into making the bread. A water roux (or Tangzhong) is the secret to this soft, delicious bread.

Hokkaido Milk bread is simple and versatile to use. You can make a loaf, dinner rolls or fill them with any filling of your choice. The rolls can be shaped too but the best bread it produces is ladi pav what you enjoy with pav bhaji.

Ladi Pav for Pav bhaji — Homemade Ladi Pav for Pav Bhaji

How to make Tangzhong?

The roux or Tangzhong is made with flour and milk or water. You cook the mixture on low flame generally 65°C (149 °F). Bring the resulting paste or pudding to room temperature before you add it to your flour mixture.

At 65°C, the gluten in the flour and water mixture would absorb the moisture and create a “leavening” action. with the use of Tangzhong and the are other ingredients in the dough result in a light, tender and fluffier bread.

Adding a water roux is popular especially when making soft and springy Asian bread.

What is the process of making Tangzhong?

To make The Tangzhong you cook 1 part of the flour with 5 parts of liquid (by weight) at 65°C (149 °F). The liquid quantity is important, as lesser liquid and you develop the gluten in the flour.
Now the liquid can be water or milk or use half milk and half water. I prefer only milk.
I prefer to use a thick pan to make the roux since I use milk. If by chance I do not stir well I risk burning the roux and I have to restart all over again.
Add the flour and your chosen liquid. Mix well with a whisk till there are no lumps (be very sure you have no lumps).
Place the pan on low flame and keep using the whisk to stir the mixture continuously.
Cook until a nice, thick pudding is formed. In laypersons terms the lines of the whisk as you drag it across in et pudding are visible.
Now transfer Tangzhong to a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap. It is important as this will not allow a skin on the surface of the roux.
Cool to room temperature.
If you are reducing the quantity of Tangzhong use a smaller pan. Since the width of the pan is smaller it does not dry out too quickly.
Generally, I make a double quantity of Tangzhong as the bread is never enough and I end up making more the next day.
Keep the extra Tangzhong in the fridge covered with plastic on the surface of the roux. Remember we do not want the skin.
Only use it up the 3 days and remember to bring it to room temperature before using. (I prefer to throw it out after day 1).

How to make Japanese Milk Bread?

Making a Japanese Milk Bread is simple, just like you make regular bread. Get your ingredients together add the roux and you can mix away.

Be warned that this is a sticky dough. In case you are making it by hand, you will be tempted to add flour to make things easy for yourself, don't! Don't add the extra flour!!!

If you want to shape the bread, chill the dough for some time makes life easier.

Make a seeded bread with Hokkaido Milk Bread with Tangzhong — Seeded Bread with Japanese Milk Bread with Tangzhong

Gather your ingredients for Hokkaido Milk Bread with Tangzhong:

Room temperature all your ingredients need to be at room temperature. Only the milk needs to be lukewarm.

Maida or All-purpose Flour: If you have access to bread flour use it as this makes the bread better but I make it use maida or all-purpose flour.
Milk Powder: Hokkaido bread uses milk powder as an ingredient. You can leave it out but the bread is better. This time while making it we used a fresh cream package as it was close to expiry. Remember it has to be at room temperature and do not shake it. Use only the top thick portion. The bread was really deliciously soft.
Yeast: The entire bread basically rests on the shoulders of this little one-celled fellow. Now if you use active yeast activate it. I use instant yeast so I skip this step.
- Still do not be overconfident. I had an order for bread and my yeast died out on me. Was that totally unprofessional and embarrassing? I lost money and more importantly a client! I gave her another bread the next day along with the order but she has not come back!
- Since then I have started adding a pinch in a small quantity of water if it froths. By the time I collect the rest of my ingredients I know my yeast is great.
Sugar: The food on which the yeast lives on.
Tangzhong: The quantity needed for the bread here is ½ the volume. Keep the rest in the fridge and use the next day. Technically you can store the balance for 3 days I don't. You cannot halve ⅓ cup easily so make the full quantity.
Salt: Use salt for taste only add it diametrically in the opposite corner of the flour.
Butter: Use softened butter. Generally, I use salted butter as that is easily available. The butter flavours and gives a soft texture to the bread.
Egg: Use an egg if you wish but it is okay to leave it out. The bread is still great.
Additional Tip: This bread is mildly sweet however to make it savoury use 1 tablespoon sugar and add ½ teaspoon salt.

Kneading and mixing for the Dough:

In a mixing bowl or on the kitchen platform add all the ingredients. I add the salt in one corner and the yeast and sugar in the other corner. Then too as I mix the salt part last.

You will need other than the yeast, sugar, Tangzhong, milk powder, egg (if using)and the flour. Lastly mix salt.

Kneading and mixing

Be easy on yourself and use the food processor or kitchenaid if you have it.

But if you have to use the muscle power, at the cost of repeating myself, Don't add extra flour!!!

After some 20-30 minutes of hand kneading, you will see the gluten start to form, add the butter. In the processor, about 10 minutes is all you will need.

The flour will be sticky, transfer to the work surface keep kneading it, your patience and hard work will be rewarded with a shiny and soft dough. A little sticky but it will start leaving the platform or bowl. (this is the reason way Akanksha generally kneads with her hand). Anyway, I have to hand knead is her refrain. Once she leaves for college I will have to reassess my situation.

Proofing the Dough

If you plan to make the bread immediately then keep it for initial proofing.
In case you want to shape your bread, cover the dough with a cling film and chill in the refrigerator overnight preferably.
Your dough is proofed once it doubles in size.
Since I live in a very hot and humid place my dough is ready in 45 minutes. You may need about an hour however keep an eye on the dough.

Preparing the Pan for baking the bread

If you are baking a loaf then grease a loaf 4.5 by 9 inch loaf pan.
If you plan to make dinner rolls/ladi pav use a greased 8 or 9 inch square pan.

Shaping the dough

Once proofed you can use the dough to shape the bread. You have plenty of options make a loaf or rolls, dinner rolls, ladi pav to is an option. I have made hedgehog with the dough. However, prepare the pan first.

Shaping a loaf bread

To prevent sticking of the dough lightly flour the work surface.
Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. You can weigh them too but I generally eyeball it.
Flatten the ball of dough then roll out a rectangle that is as wide as the loaf pan. Add any filling you want like garlic, cheese, poached pears.
Roll it up tightly pinch and seal the seams. Tuck the edges to fit into the loaf pan.
Keep rolling the dough so that it is smooth, put the seam down on the loaf pan, take care that the roll is as the loaf pan.
Repeat with the remaining 3 dough portions stack them side by side.

bread stuffed with poached pears — Poached Pears Stuffed Bread

Shaping dinner rolls

Make 9 equal balls of the dough. Again weigh it up if you wish I eyeball it.
Dust the work surface lightly.
Lightly flatten the dough and collect the edges in the centre. And place the seam side surface down.
Place your palm on the ball such that you cup the dough.
Light and quickly roll the dough around. The dough becomes a smooth round ball.
Place the seam side down on the greased tray.
Repeat with the remaining 8 pieces. stack side by side.

For shaping the hedgehogs

Divide the dough then shape them such that they are narrow on one end.
Use black currents or cloves to make the nose (chocolate will not work). Press well in the dough else the will fall off.
Use sharp kitchen scissors and make deep cuts on the body randomly. Shallow ones will again disappear when the dough rises.

Hedgehog shaped bread — Hedgehog Shaped Bread

Final proofing

Keep the tray covered with a plastic cling film or clean tea towel. In my heading to a zero-waste kitchen, I prefer the tea towels what dis your grandmother use??
The dough should proof and double in size.
As the tray is proofing I clean up and get the egg wash or milk wash ready.
Egg wash is egg yolk and water mixture whereas milk wash is milk and cream.
This proofing generally takes 30 to 40 minutes in my weather conditions.

Baking the Japanese Sweet Bread

Towards the end of the 30 minutes (your proofing time) pre-heat the oven to 180C/350°F.
Brush the bread with the egg wash/milk wash liberally.
Place the pans in the oven centre rack, both grills on, to bake the bread loaf and it takes about 30 or 35 minutes.
Your bread rolls will be ready in 20 minutes or till your bread will be lightly golden.
If you want a deep brown colour tent the bread and continue baking.
Tenting is placing a piece of foil on the bread. The foil will stop the bread from burning.
If you are using a thermometer then you can bake till the internal temperature reaches 88C/109F.
My thermometer is never working or I cannot remember where I kept it so I prefer to knock on the bread when it sounds hollow I get it out of the oven.
Transfer the bread on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes. Then using a knife, loosen the bread (just to be sure it comes out in one piece).
Then turn it out on to a wire rack to cool down.

Enjoy The Bread

There is something about a bread that demands you tear it up when just out of the oven. Happens with me with every loaf. But bread is best when it cools down and you can slice it up.

Enjoy the bread with butter, jam, Nutella, eggs, cheese, as a sandwich or just by itself.

This bread dough is very adaptable. I have used it to make garlic bread, cheese garlic bread, poached pear stuffed bread. You can make rolls, shaped bread too.

Recipe Card for Hokkaido Milk Bread with Roux