Hokkaido Milk Bread

Yields 2 loaves

INGREDIENTS

• Dry Ingredients:

  • 540 gram (4 C plus 2 Tbsp) bread flour

  • 60 gram (1/2 C) cake flour (I just use 600 gram of AP)

  • 10 gram (1 Tbsp) instant yeast 

  • 30 gram (3-1/2 Tbsp) dried milk powder

  • 80 gram (1/2 Cup minus 1-1/2 Tbsp) caster sugar

  • 1.5 teaspoon (8 gram) salt

• Liquids:

  • 1 egg medium size (50 gram, excluding shell)

  • *one additional egg for egg wash*

  • *Tbsp honey for egg wash*

  • 250 ml (1 C plus 2 tsp) milk

  • 150 ml (1/2 C plus 2 Tbsp) whipping cream

Directions:

Heat up milk to around 95-105℉ (no more than that otherwise yeast will be killed).

Pour half of the sugar into the milk to dissolve while the milk is heating up.

Pour yeast into the milk (make sure milk isn’t too hot) and wait for 5-10 minutes until puffy and foamy (cover with towel).

While the yeast is foaming, combine whipping cream and egg together.

Stir whipping cream and egg mixture gently into the yeast and milk mixture.

Put bread flour, cake flour, milk powder, sugar, and salt into a mixing bowl. Whisk evenly together.

Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients together gently until it is a shaggy dough.

Knead by hand (using the dough slamming method) or by electric mixer until dough passes the window pane test. (can add up to 20 grams of flour if too wet but this is a high hydration dough so it should be more wet but not sticking to your hands)

Divide the dough into two batches* and let proof** until doubled in size (around 2 hours depending on indoor temp). It is done proofing when it is poked 2 inches deep and it keeps the indent/doesn’t spring back.

After deflating the dough gently, further divide each batch of dough into fourths (one for each pan) and shape by rolling each fourth into fat logs.

Place the four logs into one pan and the other four in the other pan (make sure to grease the pans with melted butter or oil prior to placing them in the pans). Let proof*** with a damp towel or plastic wrap on top until it has expanded to 80% of the previous size (30-45 min).

Preheat the oven to 340-350℉ towards the last 15 minutes of proofing.

Combine second egg and honey together and egg wash the tops of the two loaves with it.

Bake for 35-40 minutes with a pan of water underneath to maintain humidity. If it begins to brown too quickly place an aluminum foil on top. If it does not brown enough you can do another light player of honey egg wash while it is in the oven. Stick a skewer in to check doneness, it should come out clean. Be sure not to under bake them since this will result in a thick crust and dry interior.

(From Rice’n Flour blog http://www.ricenflour.com/recipe/how-to-make-hokkaido-milk-bread-recipe/)

*My Notes*

*This is the time to fold in cranberries or anything other dried fruit into the dough. Fold in about half a cup or more depending how much you want to add. 

** If proofing in an oven, fill a pan with hot water and set underneath the rack to allow better humidity

*** When proofing after shaping, sprinkle/spray some water on top of the bread so that their surfaces do not dry out underneath the towel. 

When using a Pullman’s Loaf Pan with a cover you don't need to do the egg wash but be sure to grease down the pan and the cover like you normally would a regular loaf pan. Loaf pan that I use for the uniform square shape is 9”x4”x4”.

You can warm up the oven to its lowest setting and turn it off when getting ready for the first round of fermentation. Still put a glass of water inside to ensure humidity stays inside.