Hokkaido Milk Bread (北海道ミルクブレッド)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9 x 4 x 4-inch Pullman pan with lid for kaku, or 9 x 5-inch loaf pan for yamagata
• •Kitchen scale
• •Stand mixer with dough hook, or a bench scraper for hand kneading
• •Instant-read thermometer

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the yudane

   Put 70g bread flour in a heatproof bowl. Heat 80g milk until it just reaches a boil, then weigh 70g of it over the flour. Milk loses a little weight as it heats, and weighing after the boil keeps the dough honest. Stir with a stiff spatula until no dry flour remains and the paste looks thick and slightly glossy. Press wrap against the surface and cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight.

   This is yudane. The scalded flour has already taken up water, which is why the finished crumb stays soft instead of turning dry on the second day.
2. 2

   Mix the dough

   Tear the cooled yudane into pieces and put it in a stand mixer bowl with the room-temperature milk, cream, and egg. Add the 280g bread flour, sugar, yeast, and salt, keeping the salt and yeast apart until mixing begins. Mix on low until a shaggy dough forms, then rest it for 10 minutes. That short rest lets the flour hydrate and makes the kneading easier.

3. 3

   Knead until satin

   Knead on medium-low until the dough begins to smooth out, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the softened butter in three pieces, waiting until each piece disappears before adding the next. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth, elastic, and satin-soft, 8 to 12 minutes more. A small piece should stretch thin enough to let light through before it tears.

   Add the butter after the dough has strength. Fat coats flour and slows gluten development, so adding it too early makes you work harder for the same soft crumb.
4. 4

   First proof

   Shape the dough into a ball and set it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm place until doubled, usually 75 to 90 minutes. Rich dough moves more slowly than lean dough, so trust the dough more than the clock. When pressed gently, it should hold a soft dent for a moment before easing back.

5. 5

   Divide and rest

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured bench and press out the large bubbles with your palms. Divide it into three equal pieces, about 240g each. Shape each piece into a loose ball, cover, and rest for 15 minutes. This relaxes the gluten, so the final shaping can be neat instead of torn and stubborn.

6. 6

   Shape the loaf

   Grease a 9 x 4 x 4-inch Pullman pan for kaku, or a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan for yamagata. Roll one dough ball into an oval, fold the long sides toward the center, then roll from the short end into a snug cylinder. Repeat with the remaining pieces and set all three seam-side down in the pan. The shaping is not decoration; it lines up the crumb so the loaf rises tall and tears in soft strands.

7. 7

   Final proof

   Cover the pan and proof again in a warm place. For kaku, stop when the highest point of the dough sits about 1cm below the rim, then slide on the lid. For yamagata, let the three crowns rise 2 to 3cm above the rim, then brush lightly with milk. This is the step that decides the loaf's shape: underproof and the crumb is tight, overproof and the dough slumps or presses hard against the lid.

   A properly proofed rich dough springs back slowly when touched. Fast spring means it needs more time; no spring means it has gone too far.
8. 8

   Bake the bread

   Heat the oven to 180C, or 350F, at least 30 minutes before baking. Bake kaku with the lid on for 35 to 38 minutes; if the crust is pale when you uncover it, give it 3 to 5 minutes more without the lid. Bake yamagata uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, tenting loosely if the top browns too quickly. The center should reach 93 to 95C, or 200 to 203F. Rich bread must bake through, or the sides wrinkle as it cools.

9. 9

   Cool and slice

   Take the pan from the oven and rap it once on the counter, firmly but not violently. This releases trapped heat and helps prevent the sides from shrinking inward. Unmold at once onto a rack. Brush with melted butter if you want a softer, glossier crust, then cool at least 75 minutes before slicing. Cut too soon and the crumb compresses under the knife, which is a poor end for patient work.

Chef Tips

• •At the panya counter, this is the loaf you would buy as miruku shokupan or Hokkaido miruku shokupan, often sliced thick. The home method aims for that same tender crumb, not cake.
• •Use Hokkaido milk and cream if you can. Outside Japan, choose full-fat milk and cream with a clean dairy flavor. It is an honest stand-in, but don't pretend the label is the taste.
• •If kneading by hand, expect 15 to 18 minutes and use a bench scraper instead of adding handfuls of flour. Extra flour makes the dough easier now and the bread drier tomorrow.
• •For kaku, proofing height matters more than bravery. Slide the lid on when the dough is just below the rim, not when it is already trying to escape.
• •Slice this loaf thick. Thin slices miss the point. A good milk bread should pull apart softly at the torn face and still hold itself under butter.

Advance Preparation

• •The yudane can be made the night before and refrigerated. Bring it close to room temperature before mixing so it blends cleanly into the dough.
• •The baked loaf keeps well wrapped at room temperature for 3 days. This is where yudane earns its keep.
• •For longer storage, slice the cooled loaf thick and freeze the slices in a sealed bag for up to 1 month. Toast from frozen, gently.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 65g)