Shokupan Sandwich Bread

This is the Japanese sandwich bread shokupan, also known as the Hokkaido milk bread. It uses an Asian tangzhong method and produces the softest, lightest, and airiest slice of bread you will ever make. Amazing on its own, perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and of course, sandwiches.

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Every time I make the Japanese milk bread, it ruins my ability to make any other bread. I get so tempted to add the tangzhong in every bread I make. If you’ve never made this Hokkaido milk bread, I highly recommend you try it at least once. The soft, light, and airy texture of the bread is as light as a cloud.

What is tangzhong? It’s a Japanese technique called yukone (yudane) using a roux made with flour and water (or milk). I like the combination of the two. This roux is like a thick pudding made by cooking flour, water, and milk. Once thickened, it is cooled to room temperature and then added to the dough-making process.

How does it work? Well, the water is absorbed by the flour at high temperature, and the starch is gelatinized without forming any gluten (that is why it must be cooked carefully). This allows the starch in the tangzhong to absorb far more liquid at room temperature later. That’s why when tangzhong is added to the dough, we can use more water, which in turn gives us a soft, stable yet spongy texture in the final bread.

Today, we make sandwich bread, but you can use this to make almost anything. For example, try my softest burger buns, dinner rolls, or even cinnamon rolls.

Step-by-step instructions: Shokupan sandwich bread

Tangzhong

• In a saucepan, combine water and flour with a whisk until no lumps remain. Add the milk and combine well again.
  Pro tip – It is very important to make sure you have no lumps, as these will be difficult to remove from the dough.
• Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook this mixture for 2 to 3 minutes. Keep stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
  Pro tip – Keep the heat on medium to low. At first, the mixture will take a while to thicken, but then it does get thicker quickly. So, keep a close eye and take it off just when it reaches almost a paste consistency similar to a pudding.
• Take it off the heat and transfer it to a bowl or plate. Cover and let cool to almost room temperature. Make sure the plastic touches the surface of the tangzhong to prevent a skin.
  Pro tip – Removing the hot pan will prevent it from cooking further, as we don’t want it to get lumpy.
• At first, the mixture will take a while to thicken, but then it does get thicker quickly. So, keep a close eye and take it off just when it reaches almost paste consistency, similar to a pudding (see video).

Dough

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the lukewarm milk (no warmer than 110°F) and the yeast. Combine well with a whisk. Then, add the sugar, milk powder, egg, and cooled tangzhong.
• Add the flour and salt. Turn the mixer on medium-high speed.
  Pro tip – Scrape the sides of the bowl well to ensure all the flour is well incorporated, and do not add more flour yet.
• Once all the flour has been incorporated, knead:
  • By hand – transfer to a well-dusted worktop and knead for 5 to 6 minutes
  • Stand mixer – once all the flour is well incorporated, knead on medium for 4 to 5 minutes

• Then, gradually add the butter one tablespoon at a time. Once all the butter has been incorporated, knead for 3 minutes more.
• When the dough is soft and shiny but still slightly sticky, shape it into a ball. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, seam side down. Coat the surface with oil to prevent drying. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap.
• Leave in a warm place. Let rise for 60 to 90 minutes until doubled in volume.
  Pro tip – In winter, you may need 90 minutes or more. But in summer, the dough may double in 45 minutes. If you can’t attend to it at that moment, degas, reshape, and let it double in volume again.

Shape the loaf

• When the dough doubles in volume, transfer it to a well-dusted floured surface. De-gas, reshape into a ball.
  Pro tip – At this point, there is no need for additional flour. So use a light dusting of flour.
• Roll the dough into a cylinder and divide it into 4 portions. Weigh the portions to ensure they are similar in size. Mine was about 200 to 215 grams each.
• Shape each portion into a tight roll. To do this correctly,
  • Flatten the dough on an unfloured surface.
  • Fold the top and two sides in.
  • Then roll towards you into a sausage shape.

Proof and bake

• Place the shaped portions in a 9 x 4 loaf pan. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for about 45 minutes until almost doubled in size.
  Pro tip – Spray the plastic wrap with oil to prevent it from sticking to the rolls.
• When the bread is almost doubled in volume at about 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 375°F /190°C / Gas Mark 5
• Brush the rolls with egg wash, milk, or cream.
  Pro tip – Egg wash is a full egg with 2 tbsp of water. An egg wash will give a nice golden color. If you can’t use egg, milk or cream will work just as well. Do not use oil or butter, as it will create a crust.

• Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes until lightly golden on top. If the top of the sandwich bread is getting too dark, tent it with aluminum foil. When baked, brush with melted butter
  Pro tip – This is optional, but it adds a nice flavor and keeps the top crust soft.
• Take it out of the pan and cover it with a clean kitchen cloth for at least 5 minutes to keep it soft.
  Pro tip – Do not leave the bread in the pan for too long, as the steam will make the bread soggy on the bottom.

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