Japanese Milk Bread Rolls¶

| 10 | 3.08 hours |
Ratios¶
| 1 part | 3 parts | 3 parts |
Ingredients - Tangzhong¶
14 g bread flour
43 g water
43 g whole milk
Ingredients - Dough¶
300 g bread flour
14 g milk powder
50 g granulated sugar
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp instant yeast
113 g whole milk
1 large egg
57 g unsalted butter
Ingredients - Egg Wash¶
1 large egg
1 Tbsp cold water
Cookware¶
- 1 small saucepan
- 1 small mixing bowl
- 1 8" or 9" round cake pan
Instructions¶
Step 1¶
Weigh your bread flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
Step 2¶
To make the tangzhong: Combine bread flour, water, and whole milk in a small saucepan, and whisk until no lumps remain.
Step 3¶
Place the saucepan over low heat, and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until thick and the whisk leaves lines on the bottom of the pan, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Step 4¶
Transfer the tangzhong to a small mixing bowl or measuring cup and let it cool to room temperature.
Step 5¶
To make the dough: Combine the tangzhong with the bread flour, milk powder, granulated sugar, salt, instant yeast, whole milk, egg, and melted unsalted butter, then mix and knead - by hand, mixer, or bread machine - until a smooth, elastic dough forms.
Step 6¶
Shape the dough into a ball, and let it rest in a lightly greased covered bowl for 60 to 90 minutes, until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk.
Step 7¶
Gently deflate the dough, divide it into 8 equal pieces (for large rolls) or 10 equal pieces (for medium-sized rolls), and shape each piece into a ball.
Step 8¶
Place the rolls into a lightly greased 8" or 9" round cake pan. Cover the pan, and let the rolls rest for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy.
Step 9¶
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the rolls with milk or egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water), and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown on top; a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the middle roll should read at least 190°F.
Step 10¶
Remove the rolls from the oven. Allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.