Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan) by Just One Cookbook

Ingredients

• 285 ml warm water (104ºf)
• 24 g sugar
• 8 g kosher salt
• 12 g honey
• 8 g instant yeast
• 400 g bread flour
• 24 g skim milk powder
• 28 g unsalted butter

Instructions

1. Combine warm water, sugar, salt, and honey in a bowl. Whisk in yeast and let sit until foamy.
2. In a stand mixer, whisk bread flour and milk powder. Add liquid mixture and combine with a spatula
3. Knead on Speed 2 until combined, then Speed 4 for 4 minutes. Add butter, mix, then knead on Speed 4 for 4 minutes and Speed 6 for 3 minutes until smooth.
4. Perform slam-and-fold technique on a work surface, form into a ball, and rise in a greased bowl until tripled in size (approx. 40 minutes).
5. Divide dough into three equal pieces, shape into taut balls, and rest under a damp towel for 15 minutes.
6. Roll each ball into a rectangle, fold into thirds, roll up, and seal. Place in a buttered Pullman loaf pan
7. Proof until 75-90% of pan height (approx. 1 hour). Preheat oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
8. Bake at 410ºF (210ºC) for 25-30 minutes (flat-top) or 385ºF (195ºC) for 30 minutes (round-top).
9. Drop pan once on work surface to release steam, unmold, and cool completely on a wire rack for 2-3 hours before slicing.