It’s back to school for most, and planning for speedy and healthy lunches is imperative whether your kiddos are physically attending school or staying home. And if you’re like us here, easy lunches are the best lunches. Enter the mighty sandwich. Sandwiches slathered with crunchy peanut butter—you’re not eating smooth peanut butter, are you?—and homemade jelly, a mozzarella, tomato, and basil layer-cake-sandwich, or a classic tuna salad sandwich are always on rotation here.
But taking the humble sandwich to the next level requires the ideal bread. It helps the mundane transcend the standard measure. And while this site has pan bread recipes abound (I guess I do love good pan bread), this tangzhong sandwich bread is so delightful it’s quickly floated to the top choice for, as my kids call it, “square bread.”
That’s not to say my classic pain de mie or whole-grain pan loaf isn’t a treat, but this bread brings a certain softness to the crumb that’s hard to achieve without high hydration or added enrichments. And yet, in pre-cooking a portion of the total flour used in this recipe, you’ll do just that.
This pre-cooking technique, commonly called tangzhong, is classic for enriched bread such as Japanese-style shokupan (milk bread), and it’s a handy technique for bringing a level of softness to a loaf without excessive fat or oil addition. A healthier version, if you will.
What is Tangzhong (Pre-cooked Flour)?
The tangzhong technique (also known as water roux or simply pre-gelatinized flour) is cooking raw flour and a liquid to approximately 150°F (65°C). At this temperature, the starches in the flour will gelatinize, similar to how the exterior of a bagel gelatinizes when you boil the dough. This process turns the mixture into a sticky starch paste added to the dough during mixing and brings incredible softness to the final baked bread.
This upfront cooking is a small step at the beginning of this recipe, but one that results in more tender and fluffy bread without the need for other enrichments such as butter, oil, or eggs.
A quick roundup of the benefits of incorporating pre-cooked flour (or tangzhong) in your bread dough:
- Adds tenderness and an open interior without the use of eggs, butter, or sugar
- The dough can have lower hydration but still achieve a soft texture
- Prolongs the shelf life of the bread (and coupled with natural fermentation, which already preserves, this might be the best sandwich bread yet)
Check out my guide to making tangzhong for more information on this technique.
In the top left, the flour and milk are combined and whisked vigorously over medium-low heat. After a few minutes, the top-right shows the mixture starts to thicken. Continue to whisk, and don’t worry if you find small clumps here and there. The bottom-right shows the mixture sufficiently thickened and ready to remove from the flame. It will feel similar to a cooked porridge and be hard to whisk any further. Then, let the tangzhong mixture cool and add it as any other ingredient during mixing.
Flour Selection
Any medium-protein bread flour (around 11% protein) or all-purpose flour will work well in this recipe. I’ve made this with King Arthur Baking All-purpose with excellent results. And similarly, for the whole wheat portion, any whole wheat flour will work well.
Baking Schedule
This tangzhong pan bread is a direct bake, meaning it’s baked the same day you mix (except for the levain, which is created the night before).
Overnight proof option: while I don’t call for this dough to be retarded (cold proof overnight), this can be done if it’s better for your schedule. Simply place it in the fridge after it’s shaped and in the Pullman pan, then bake first thing in the morning.
Tangzhong Sandwich Bread Formula
For tips on how to calculate baker’s percentages or how to modify this formula, see my post on baker’s percentages (baker’s math).
| Total Dough Weight | 1,800 grams |
| Pre-fermented Flour | 11.00% |
| Levain in final dough | 25.96% |
| Yield | 2 x 900g pan loaves |
I love using my 9x4x4″ USA Pan Pullman pan (without the lid) for sandwich bread. Not only does the nonstick liner mean the loaves always remove cleanly, its straight sides mean neat slices perfect for sandwiches or toast.
But if you’re looking for how to make this recipe work in a different pan, see my post on shaping a sandwich loaf.
Total Formula
Desired dough temperature: 77°F (25°C). See my post on the importance of dough temperature for more information on dough temperatures.
The rows marked tangzhong below are the two ingredients cooked ahead of time, but they are still counted toward the formula’s overall percentages. In other words, the 8% whole wheat flour is still counted toward the total flour in the formula and is not an “extra” addition.
| Weight | Ingredient | Baker’s Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 74g | Tangzhong: Whole wheat flour (Giusto’s Whole Wheat Flour) | 8.0% |
| 296g | Tangzhong: Whole milk | 32.0% |
| 693g | Medium-protein bread flour or All-purpose flour (~11% protein, Central Milling Artisan Baker’s Craft or King Arthur Baking All-Purpose) | 75.0% |
| 157g | Whole wheat flour (Giusto’s Whole Wheat) | 17.0% |
| 65g | Olive oil | 7.0% |
| 37g | Honey | 4.0% |
| 453g | Water | 49.0% |
| 17g | Salt | 1.8% |
| 10g | Sourdough starter | 1.1% |
Tangzhong Sandwich Bread Method
1. Prepare Levain – Night before mixing, 9:00 p.m. (Day one)
| Weight | Ingredient | Baker’s Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 101g | Medium protein bread flour or all-purpose flour | 100.0% |
| 101g | Water | 100.0% |
| 10g | Ripe sourdough starter | 10.0% |
Mix the following ingredients in a container and leave covered to ripen at about 78°F (25°C) for 12 hours overnight.
2. Prepare the tangzhong (pre-cook flour) – 8:00 a.m. (Day two)
| Weight | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 74g | Whole wheat flour |
| 296g | Whole milk |
Be sure to do this ahead of time to give the pre-cooked flour time to cool before mixing.
Milk alternative: If you want to avoid using milk in this recipe, substitute out the dairy milk in the roux, below, for water (or something like oat milk).
To a medium saucepan, add the flour and milk listed above. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture thickens and becomes like a paste, about 5-8 minutes. In the beginning, whisk vigorously to break up any flour clumps, and be diligent about this near the end to avoid burning. The mixture won’t seem to do anything until it reaches a critical heat point, be patient; it will thicken.
Once it transforms into a viscous paste (something like oatmeal porridge), remove the pan from the heat and spread it out on a small plate to expedite cooling. Set the tangzhong aside until called for when mixing.
3. Mix – 9:00 a.m.
I used my KitchenAid stand mixer to mix this dough, but it’s possible to make this bread without a stand mixer by mixing everything together by hand in a mixing bowl. To do this, you’ll need to mix for around 10-15 minutes, depending on your technique (slap and fold will work really well!).
| Weight | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| All | Tangzhong (see Tangzhong above) |
| 591g | Medium-protein bread flour |
| 157g | Whole wheat flour |
| 65g | Olive oil |
| 37g | Honey |
| 351g | Water |
| 17g | Salt |
| 213g | Levain (see Prepare Levain, above) |
Mixing water temperature note: I used cold water from the fridge to mix this dough, mostly because my pre-cooked flour was not fully cool by the time I needed to mix. Be sure to take the temperature of the pre-cooked flour and other ingredients into account to get close to the final dough temperature listed for this recipe.
Use my mixing water temperature calculator to quickly help you determine what to heat or cool your water to so it meets the desired dough temperature for this recipe.
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the pre-cooked flour, flour, water, ripe levain, honey, olive oil, and salt. Mix on low speed for approximately 2 minutes until the ingredients come together, and no dry bits remain. Increase the mixer speed to medium (2 on a KitchenAid) and mix for 8-10 minutes until the dough starts to clump up around the dough hook. It won’t completely remove from the bottom of the bowl, and it will still be shaggy. See the image of my dough right after transferring to its bulk fermentation container.
Transfer your dough to a bulk fermentation container and cover.
4. Bulk Fermentation – 9:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
At room temperature, around 72-74°F (22-23°C), bulk should take about 3 1/2 hours. Give this dough three sets of stretch and folds during bulk fermentation (first rise) at 30-minute intervals, where the first set starts after 30 minutes from the start of bulk fermentation. For each set, wet your hands, grab one side and stretch it up and over the dough to the other side. Rotate the bowl 180° and perform another stretch and fold (this forms a long rectangle in the bowl). Then, rotate the bowl 90° and do another stretch and fold. Finally, turn the bowl 180° and do one last stretch and fold. You should have the dough neatly folded up in the bowl.
After the third set, let the dough rest for the remainder of bulk fermentation.
5. Divide and Pre-shape – 12:45 p.m.
Uncover your bulk fermentation container and gently scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a clean work surface. Using a bench knife, divide the dough directly in half and pre-shape each piece into a loose round. Let the rounds relax uncovered for 30 minutes.
6. Shape – 1:15 p.m.
First, lightly oil your Pullman pans with olive oil or another neutral oil. While this isn’t strictly necessary when using a USA Pan Pullman pan, it’s a little insurance just in case.
I shaped this dough in my typical method for shaping a pan loaf. Check out my guide to shaping pan loaves for detailed instruction.
Once the dough is shaped into a long tube, transfer each to their pan, seam-side-down. At this point, you can sprinkle on any toppings you’d like, I added white sesame seeds to one loaf, and instant oats to the other.
7. Proof – 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (2 hours room temperature)
Cover the pans with a large, reusable plastic bag and seal shut. Let the dough proof at room temperature, around 72-74°F (22-23°C), for 2 hours.
Overnight proof option: before the 2 hour counter proof, cover the pans with bags and place them in your home refrigerator to proof overnight. Bake them the next morning as indicated below. Expect a slightly more sour flavor.
8. Bake – 3:30 p.m. (pre-heat oven at 3:00 p.m.)
Check on your dough: it should have risen just below the top of the Pullman pan and be very light and airy to the touch (see above). If it’s not quite there, give it another 15 minutes and check again.
I steamed the oven for this bake as described on my post on baking with steam in a home oven.
Preheat your oven, with rack at the bottom third run and a pan with lava rocks on the bottom, to 400°F (205°C).
Once your oven is preheated, remove your proofed loaves from their bags and slide them into the oven. Carefully pour a cup of ice into the pan with lava rocks at the bottom of the oven and quickly close the oven door.
Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 20 minutes with steam. After this time, vent the oven, remove the steaming pan(s), and close the oven door. Bake for an additional 30-35 minutes until the top is well-colored and the internal temp is around 205°F (96°C). Remove the pans and gently knock out the loaves onto a wire rack. Return the loaves to the oven to bake for an additional 5 minutes without their pans to add extra color to the bottom and sides.
Let the loaves cool for 2 hours before slicing to ensure the interior is fully set. These will store incredibly well as described in my post on how to store bread.
This bread has a delightful flavor that has little sourness. The overnight, mild levain with all white flour helped to this end as did the direct bake (no overnight cold-proof). The sourness that does slyly peek through comes at you at the very end of each bite, a gentle, but welcome, pop of flavor.
What I love about this bread—besides the tender interior, flavors created through natural fermentation, and flavorful, wheaty abundance, of course—is the shatteringly thin crust that forms when a slice is toasted (see above). We have the Pullman pan to thank here, and while a mouth-melting slice of bread is delightful, the added crunch in each slice is downright satisfying. And I think this might be the secret success of this bread: it’s soft, without excessive oil, eggs, or butter, for kiddos to love it, but still shores up enough strength to carry any ingredient you throw at it.
As I finish typing up these final words, I still can’t get the idea of crunchy peanut butter out of my mind. Shall we confess it’s time, yet again, for another amped-up PB&J? Buon appetito!
Tangzhong Sourdough Sandwich Bread
- Prep Time: 19 hours
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 19 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 2 loaves
- Category: Sourdough, Sandwich Bread
- Cuisine: American
Description
This bread has a delightful flavor that has little sourness. The overnight, mild levain with all white flour helped to this end as did the direct bake (no overnight cold-proof). The sourness that does slyly peek through comes at you at the very end of each bite, a gentle, but welcome, pop of flavor.
What I love about this bread—besides the tender interior, flavors created through natural fermentation, and flavorful wheaty abundance, of course—is the shatteringly thin crust that forms when a slice is toasted (see above). We have the Pullman pan to thank here, and while a mouth-melting slice of bread is delightful, the added crunch in each slice is downright satisfying. And I think this might be the secret success of this bread: it’s soft, without excessive oil, eggs, or butter, for kiddos to love it, but still shores up enough strength to carry any ingredient you throw at it.
Ingredients
Levain
- 101g medium-protein bread flour
- 101g water
- 10g ripe sourdough starter
Tangzhong
- 74g whole wheat flour
- 296g whole milk
Main Dough
- all the tangzhong
- 591g medium-protein bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 157g whole wheat flour
- 65g extra virgin olive oil
- 37g honey
- 351g water
- 17g salt
- all the levain
Instructions
- Prepare levain (Day one, the night before mixing, 9:00 p.m.)
In a small container, mix together the levain ingredients and keep at 78°F (26°C) for 12 hours. - Prepare the Tangzhong (Day two, 8:00 a.m.)
Add the tangzhong ingredients to a medium-size saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture thickens and becomes like a paste, about 5-8 minutes. - Mix (9:00 a.m.)
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment add the Main Dough ingredients. Mix on low speed for approximately 2 minutes until the ingredients come together, and no dry bits remain. Increase the mixer speed to medium (2 on a KitchenAid) and mix for 8-10 minutes until the dough starts to clump up around the dough hook. It won’t completely remove from the bottom of the bowl, and it will still be shaggy. Transfer your dough to a bulk fermentation container and cover. - Bulk Fermentation (9:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.)
Give the dough 3 sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals, where the first set starts 30 minutes after the start of bulk fermentation. - Divide and Preshape (12:45 p.m.)
Scrape out the dough, divide it in half, and preshape each half into a loose round. Let rest for 30 minutes, uncovered. - Shape (1:15 p.m.)
Lightly oil two 9x4x4-inch Pullman pans with olive oil or neutral oil. Shape each piece of dough into a tube shape and transfer it to the pan. Top with sesame seeds, rolled oats, etc. - Proof (1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at room temperature)
Cover the pans with reusable plastic and seal shut. Let the dough proof for 2 hours at 72-74°F (22-23°C). - Bake (3:30 p.m.)
Preheat your oven, with a rack at the bottom third run and a pan with lava rocks on the bottom, to 400°F (205°C). Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 20 minutes with steam. After this time, vent the oven, remove the steaming pan(s), and close the oven door. Bake for an additional 30-35 minutes until the top is well-colored and the internal temp is around 205°F (96°C). Remove the pans and gently knock out the loaves onto a wire rack. Return the loaves to the oven to bake for an additional 5 minutes without their pans to add extra color to the bottom and sides. Let the loaves cool for 2 hours on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
This bread can also be proofed overnight to bake the next day. At the proof step (#7), instead of proofing on the counter, retard the dough to the fridge (covered). Any time the next day, remove the dough from the fridge and bake straight away.
A full-fat nut or oat milk or water can be used to make the tangzhong.
What’s Next?
For another tangzhong recipe, check out our ultra-soft and delectable sourdough cardamom rolls.
506 Comments
Is this a Tangzhong version of the everyday sandwich bread in the cookbook? Is this one a bit “taller” as well as softer?
Also wondering if doubling the honey to make a slightly sweeter bread would cause issues with a proper rise
Should be okay to double that, but keep an eye on the dough in bulk and give it more time if it looks sluggish due to the added honey.
Similar but different! Anytime you're using tangzhong, the result will be softer, yes.
Hi Maurizio! I love making your beginner’s sourdough and want to make this sandwich bread recipe next. For the bulk fermentation, should I be aiming for the same signs to end bulk fermentation? 20-50% rise, bubbles, doming? Or will these parameters be different for this recipe? Asking because my kitchen temps are low and I have had harder time this winter seeing the same results in the recommended times for fermentation. Thank you!
Yes, same signs for bulk fermentation with this dough!
I am in the same boat as Rochella. Is there a specific percent rise I am looking for?
Can I just use 100% bread flour in this recipe and use 10% of the bread flour to make the Tangzhong with 36% milk? Will there be any issues with the Tangzhong thickening using bread flour instead?
Nope, you can use any flour for the tangzhong!
Would you be able to do this with all white flour?
Yes, for sure.
I am making this recipe today and just about to do my first S&F and I was reading back over the recipe and notice the ingredients list amounts do not coincide with the list in the directions. The dough seemed okay but I’m worried now that instead of adding 591g of flour I was supposed to add 693g? Can someone explain to me why it’s written this way and if I’ve made a mistake. I used this part while mixing my ingredients.
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add:
All pre-cooked flour (from step 2)
591g medium-protein bread flour
157g whole wheat flour
65g olive oil
37g honey
351g water
17g salt
213g ripe levain (from step 1)
Thoughts?
I had a similar moment of panic! But then I remembered that the top of the post lists the total weights of all ingredients, including what’s in the levain and the tangzhong, etc. This is so we have the baker’s percentages. Maurizio always lists the total formula, with total weights and percentages first. And then in the step-by-step directions he lists the amounts per step. So the measurements you used listed in that part of the recipe are correct! But I know it can be confusing at first! But I love that he does this and presents a proper baker’s formula so you can adjust any ingredients and scale recipes easily. Thanks Maurizio! I suggest you check out his post on baker’s math too. https://www.theperfectloaf.com/reference/introduction-to-bakers-percentages/
The ingredients block up top include everything, even for the levain. I’ll update this to fix it and make this more clear!
Made this again today with almost 40% whole wheat total. I used half white and half whole wheat for levain. No adjustments to hydration or any other ingredients. Yummy! Next time I’m going to try 50% whole wheat.
That’s amazing to hear, Nivedita!
Super glad you liked it, Lucy! I’m game for all of that food, too 🙂
Hi Maurizio, I’ve been a devoted fan since I started using a starter almost 7 years ago. What a journey and I am still learning. For this loaf, if I want to bake it in the Pullman Pan but with the lid, what do you recommend for time and temperature? Anything else I should know?
Thanks, Sharon
Amazing, Sharon! So glad to have you here. I would actually bake this at the same time and temp. Though, you might want to try reducing the total dough weight in each pan by, say, 50-100g, just to be sure the dough fits when closed (you can see in the images, my dough rises a little above the pan rim). Let me know how it goes!
Hi Maurizio, so I ended up putting it in the fridge, and it had a nice rise on it but didn’t go right to the lid. If I knew how to post a photo, I would show the bread and the crumb. Very delicious. I would definitely make again and let it rise more and bake in the same day. But as you know, sometimes timing can be off and I needed to go to bed, so the fridge was my friend.
No worries, I’m sure it was absolutely delicious nonetheless!
Sorry, yeah I have no photo posting capability here (still trying to figure that one out). We do this in the member’s group, though!
Happy baking 🙂
Maurizio! Thanks so much for developing this recipe! Utilizing tangzhong in sourdough is something I’ve wondered about for a long time but never got around to experimenting with. I love the taste of sourdough but have never been keen on the texture of a loaf except as a novelty. Your method brings that wonderful flavor to a practical sandwich loaf. Love it!
Great to hear you like this one! Enjoy (get out that butter and jelly with this, you’ll love it) 🙂
Can I bake this at 350 deg in the Pullman pan for a softer crust?
You can, yes. I would steam the oven, and you’ll have to bake as long as it takes until the interior is fully baked, around 204F. I might try first at 400F with 20m of steam at the start.
Thanks! What’s the benefit of steam and high starting temp?
Steam helps get a nice crust and allows the bread to potentially rise a bit higher. High starting temps rapidly accelerates coloring on the crust and encourages rapid rise.
Hello,
I tried to make this recipe and your honey wheat loaf a few different times and totally failed. I cut the recipe in half and my dough hardly rose at all. My final dough temp was right on target (even slightly higher) every time. I’m thinking it has something to do with my starter (though I made you pan de mie and used the exact amount of starter called for with no problem). I’m pretty stumped! Usually I have a general idea of what went wrong during the process and am fine with failure but can’t figure out what I did here.
I just started sourdough baking earlier this year using Ken Forkish’s books. I keep my starter in the fridge, feed it once every 7-10 days. 2 days before a bake I pull 50g starter, mix with 100g bread flour, 100g water in the morning. Then feed the same amount in the evening (without removing any of the mix). I then mix the levain that you call for in your recipes and proceed as normal (I discard whatever portion of the levain that I won’t be utilizing). My guess is the strength of my starter is not where it needs to be. In Ken’s sourdough recipes, each loaf calls for about 200g of levain that gets thrown into the final mix (for a roughly 900g loaf). Do you have any thoughts as to what I might be doing wrong? I recently got your cookbook and am eager to learn and read through it. Thanks for the awesome and detailed videos/descriptions.
Hey, Brandon! Yes, it sounds like the issue is likely your starter. I would recommend feeding it on the counter consistently for 2-3 days, then try this recipe by making the levain. My recipes use less levain in general (which I consider brings more flavor), so if your starter is not feed timely each day, it will take much longer to ferment.
Hi Maurizio,
Thanks for advice! I’ve been baking through your book and have thoroughly enjoyed doing so. A bit off topic but I have found success with creating steam for bread pan loaves by putting my Pullman pan loaf inside a combo/challenger-type cast iron. In this scenario I didn’t do an egg wash, baked for 20min covered, then removed the cast iron lid and proceeded with the recipe. Sounds kinda crazy but it worked very well! Thank you!
This was incredible. My kids generally don’t like the regular sourdough but they really loved this.
I also didn’t get a big rise during the proof but it was still delicious.
So glad to hear that, Justin! My kiddos love this bread, too 🙂 Always a win.
Hi. I’m having trouble getting the rise during the proof so my loaves end up short. I’m not sure how to fix that.
Keep the dough warm and let it go for longer!
Thank you for the recipe. Can it be made with a reduced amount of honey or no honey at all?
I’d love to see more yudane recipes. Thanks!
Yes, you can leave out the honey if you’d like!
Hi, Can these be baked in round tins and without lava rocks?
I’ve never tried this! If I were doing round pans, I’d probably form the dough into rolls or buns. It’s okay if you don’t use lava rocks, you can just use a pan and throw ice into that. If you don’t want to steam at all, brush an egg wash (one egg + a splash of milk, whisked) on top of the dough before baking.
Hi, I got your book and have begun reading, but I decided I’d try this recipe from here (it’s printed a little differently in the book).
Trouble is, my dough is extremely tough. I hand mixed it and didn’t need to slap and fold, and after waiting 30 minutes there’s not even anything to stretch and fold as it hasn’t budged.
Only thing I did different is I tried yudane instead of tangzhong, but I used the same amount of flour as if I was doing tangzhong and matched it with 1:1 water ratio.
Does anyone have the exact changes I’m supposed to make if I’m too lazy to do the full tangzhong?
Thanks
Strange! I would say add more liquid to the dough to loosen it up.
I have been making the everyday sandwich loaf in your book constantly. I figured I’d ask on this recipe because it’s similar and shouldn’t behave particularly differently.
When it comes to final proof, it always takes 2-3x as long as yours! The books says 1.5 hours, but to reach the top of my pullmans, it takes upwards of 2-4 hours, with no sign of overproofing, even using freshly milled flour, and the spring is excellent. The bread turns out fantastically. So I am wondering why the difference in time here? I am doing everything “by the book”.
Even if my FDT is 80F instead of 78F, it does this. My starter is only used when tripled to make a levain and consists of freshly milled rye and Central Milling Baker’s Artisan. Perhaps a slow bulk fermentation? My ambient temperature is always above 76F in Florida. I don’t understand why it would be drastically slower, it’s just bizarre!
I have the exact same results Kooky and I too follow the directions ‘by the book’. I am even at almost the same altitude here in Boulder CO and I have a Brod and Taylor proofer, so I don’t know what else I can do to replicate Maurizio’s environment. At this point I just accept the fact that my bread will take longer to proof and I’m delighted that the results are so good. It just takes longer to get there.
See my reply above for some ideas, too!
So many conditions could lead to that, Kooky. Your temp sounds right on, so that’s great, but it might just be the vigor of your starter/levain, or it might have been used a bit early. You can add more levain to the dough to speed things along, that will help. For instance, add 2-4% more levain to the dough.
I think the recipe is correct as I read this as follows: the 591g bread flour in step 3 is the 693-101 for the levain(should be 592 for the maths to be truly correct!)
A lot of these sourdough bread recipes call for hours of bulk fermentation at 78+ degrees. Since my thermostat is usually set to 69 degrees in winter, that is a challenge. I looked at proofing boxes and they can cost over $100 😠 Then I remembered I bought a seed germination kit 15 years ago which included a warming mat. My husband knew exactly where it was sitting unused in the basement. I cleaned it up, placed it between two kitchen towels put the dough bowl on top then covered the works with a big plastic box. So far, temperature is staying around 80 degrees. Score one for the Geek in the kitchen…
Really well done and yes, a seedling mat works super well!
I have the two 13x4x4 pullmans. Any recommendations for how to divide the dough for this size?
Just divide in half if you’re doing two! You won’t get as tall of a loaf, though. If you want to scale up, try 1300g of dough per 13″ pan. If you’re a member here, this recipe is in the spreadsheet archive, too!
Hi Maurizio! Thank you so much for all of your recipes and especially the addition of a visual timeline – much appreciated.
My question is about the timing of making the tangzhong: can this be made the night before? How might this change the flavor? I am of course always trying find ways to align my breadmaking with my busy schedule.
You’re very welcome, Tamara! Yes, you can make the tangzhong the night before. When I do this, I typically keep it in the fridge, then let it come to room temp before mixing it into the dough.
Thanks so much! I’ll try that this weekend with my new pullman pan.
Ok I have made this multiple times now with this modification and it comes out great! Then I started substituting the milk and at least half of the water with my homade yogurt whey and wow – what a soft crumb and crust I ended up with! My husband says this is now his favorite bread and now I also have something to offer my mom who just can’t eat my crusty loaves. Thanks again!
Hi Maurizio, it is just after 9PM here and has just finished its bulk rise. I will shape and then put in the fridge to bake tomorrow morning. I plan to put the lid on my Pullman pan. If that is the case, do I still need to set up a steam environment in the oven?
If you use the lid, you do not need steam 🙂
Hi Maurizio. I made this bread yesterday (half recipe). The loaf turned out beautifully, but I had to let the dough rise 5 hours in the pan before it was ready to bake. I followed all the other timings except maybe an extra half hour bulk ferment (and even then I’m not sure the dough was ready for the next stage—still a beginner). My question is, should I have let the bulk ferment go longer to reduce the time in the second proof? Or in this case does it matter? Thx!
Yes, you can let the bulk time go a bit longer to help reduce the proof. So glad it worked out well for you Deb, and great job adjusting things to suit your kitchen conditions!
Can you cut the recipe in half and just make one loaf ?? When you think the Pullman pan do you keep it covered if not what is the purpose of this fan
Yes, you absolutely can. Check out my guide to baker’s percentages for a walkthrough on how to do that.
The fan helps reduce overall bake time, but it’s not necessary.
Can u make just 1 loaf-? By cutting receipt in half? And the pan with lid do you bake covered in Pullman pan?