Public Recipe
Japanese Milk Bread
Shared on 7/10/2025
This impossibly soft, pillowy bread uses the tangzhong technique—a cooked flour paste that traps moisture for days. The result is bread so tender it practically melts.
Prep Time
30 minutes active
Bake Time
35-40 minutes
Difficulty
intermediate
Yield
1 loaf (9x5 pan)
enriched bread
asian
sandwich bread
Ingredients
Tangzhong (cook first)
- 25g (3 tbsp) Bread flour
- 120g (½ cup) Milk
Dough
- 350g (2¾ cups) Bread flour
- 50g (¼ cup) Sugar
- 6g (1 tsp) Salt
- 5g (1½ tsp) Instant yeast
- 100g (⅓ cup + 2 tbsp) Milk warm
- 1 large (1 large) Egg
- 40g (3 tbsp) Butter softened
Instructions
1
1
TANGZHONG: Whisk flour and milk in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick paste forms (65°C/150°F). Cool to room temp.
2
2
Combine flour, sugar, salt, yeast in mixer. Add warm milk, egg, and cooled tangzhong.
3
3
Mix on low until combined, then medium 5 minutes. Add butter, mix 8-10 minutes until silky.
4
4
Bulk rise 1.5-2 hours until doubled.
5
5
Divide into 3 equal pieces. Roll each into oval, fold in thirds, roll into cylinder.
6
6
Place side by side in greased loaf pan. Proof 45-60 minutes until dough crowns above pan.
7
7
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35-40 minutes. Tent with foil if browning too fast.
8
8
Turn out immediately. Cool before slicing.
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- Digital scale
- 9x5 loaf pan
- Small saucepan
Tips
- •Tangzhong must cool completely or it will kill the yeast.
- •Don't overbake—this bread should be pale golden, not dark.
- •The three-piece shaping creates the signature pull-apart strands.
- •Stays soft 4-5 days stored in airtight container.
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