I typically associate fluffy, packaged white bread with something that has a complete lack of flavor and texture, but this sourdough shokupan is anything but. The lengthy natural fermentation process imbues the loaf with subtle sour notes—that are tempered just enough by a sweet levain—resulting in a nice balance of depth and complexity. The gentle aroma of butter is warm and pervasive, bringing a touch of savoriness. And while the texture of this bread is soft to the extreme, when sliced thick and heavily toasted, it’s perfect for a sando (sandwich), or even… pizza toast?
In one of my previous newsletters, I mentioned that I treasure Craig Mod’s insightful and quirky newsletter. He self-published a book about the famed pizza toast available throughout Japan, and I haven’t been able to shake the idea of the gooey, cheesy toast ever since. Unfortunately, both times that I traveled Japan, I didn’t get to taste the delectable snack, but it’s just what it sounds like: a thick slice of fluffy Japanese milk bread topped with tomato sauce, cheese, and other toppings, and then baked.
And after making the above pizza toast, it is just as good as you’d imagine. But back to this naturally leavened shokupan—which is what, exactly?
What is shokupan (Japanese milk bread)?
Shokupan is a Japanese-style bread sometimes called Hokkaido milk bread, or simply Japanese milk bread. The hallmarks of this bread are its soft, aromatic, and golden crust and an interior that’s ultra-tender. If you could make bread from gathering clouds from the sky, this would be it.
Shokupan calls for adding a high percentage of milk or cream to the dough. Part of this liquid is used to make a tangzhong (more on this below), which is added to the dough during mixing. In addition to the small percentages of butter, sugar, and more milk, the tangzhong brings copious tenderness to the loaf—all without the need for artificial additives or extreme proportions of enrichments (fat, sugar, and/or egg).
My shokupan dough is much softer than what you might find in other shokupan recipes due to the dough’s relatively high level of milk and enrichments. Because of this, the dough is not easily divided and rolled out with a rolling pin. However, I find this soft and slightly sticky dough results in a loaf that’s extra tender. And this is also the reason why you won’t get the spiraled sides sometimes seen in Japanese milk bread, but it’s worth it.
If you thought my soft sourdough dinner rolls were soft, this bread takes the idea into entirely new territory.
What is tangzhong or yudane?
Tangzhong and yudane are similar techniques in which you pre-cook a portion of the flour into a paste, then add this paste to the dough during mixing. Tangzhong calls for actively cooking flour over the stove, whereas yudane simply combines a boiling liquid with the flour and lets the mixture rest, typically overnight. Both methods result in a gelatinized starch-paste that achieves the same end goal: bringing extreme tenderness to the final bread without the need for a high level of enrichment.
See my guide to using tangzhong or yudane for a thorough look at both of these techniques.
Flour and ingredient selection
For this recipe, I prefer using high-protein white flour to bring strength to the dough and attain ample volume with an open interior. Therefore, I used King Arthur Baking Bread Flour at 12.7% protein.
If you don’t have high-protein white flour, all-purpose flour will work, but you may want to hold back 10-20 grams of the milk during mixing, only adding it in at the end only if the dough feels cohesive and strong.
Baking schedule
This lightly-enriched sourdough shokupan is mixed and baked the same day to ensure a minimally sour flavor profile. It is possible to spread the bake out over two days, but know that the flavor might be slightly different than intended (more sourness and complexity). To bake over two days, right after shaping, retard (cold-proof) the dough overnight in the pan, covered.
Sourdough shokupan formula
Vitals
| Total dough weight | 680 grams |
| Pre-fermented flour | 11.0% |
| Levain in final dough | 32.1% |
| Yield | One loaf |
Total formula
Desired dough temperature: 78°F (25°C) (see my post on the importance of dough temperature).
| Weight | Ingredient | Baker’s percentage |
| 275g | High-protein white flour (King Arthur Bread Flour) | 90.0% |
| 31g | Tangzhong: High-protein white flour (King Arthur Bread Flour) | 10.0% |
| 122g | Tangzhong: Whole milk | 40.0% |
| 79g | Whole milk | 26.0% |
| 50g | Egg, beaten (about one medium) | 16.5% |
| 49g | Unsalted butter | 16.0% |
| 22g | Superfine sugar (Caster sugar) | 7.0% |
| 34g | Water | 11.0% |
| 6g | Fine sea salt | 1.9% |
| 13g | Ripe sourdough starter, 100% hydration | 4.4% |
Sourdough shokupan method
1. Prepare the levain – 9:00 p.m., the night before mixing
Mix the following ingredients in a container and leave them covered at a warm temperature, 74-76°F (23-24°C), to ripen overnight.
| Weight | Ingredient | Baker’s percentage |
| 34g | High-protein white flour | 100.0% |
| 7g | Superfine sugar | 20.0% |
| 34g | Water | 100.0% |
| 13g | Ripe sourdough starter, 100% hydration | 40.0% |
2. Make the tangzhong – 8:00 a.m., the day of mixing
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the 31 grams tangzhong flour and 122 grams tangzhong milk. Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture thickens and becomes a paste (like mashed potatoes), 4 to 6 minutes. Because the tangzhong is very small, keep a close watch on it as it will thicken quickly. Remove the pan from the heat and spread the tangzhong out on a small plate to expedite cooling. Set aside.
3. Mix – 9:00 a.m.
There is no autolyse step for this dough (see my guide to the autolyse technique for when and why I like to use the technique) because the dough is quickly and effectively strengthened in my KitchenAid stand mixer.
| Weight | Ingredient |
| 241g | High-protein white flour |
| 79g | Whole milk |
| 50g | Egg, beaten (about one medium) |
| 49g | Unsalted butter |
| 15g | Superfine sugar |
| 6g | Fine sea salt |
| 87g | Levain |
| All | Tangzhong (from Step 2) |
Note: Warm the milk in the microwave or over the stove, as necessary, to help meet the final dough temperature of 78°F (25°C). See my post on how to bake sourdough bread in the winter for tips to keeping your dough warm.
First, cut the butter into 1/2″ pats. Set them on a plate to warm to room temperature.
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, milk, egg, sugar, salt, ripe levain, and tangzhong. Mix on low speed (STIR on a KitchenAid) for 1 to 2 minutes until the ingredients come together and no dry bits remain. Next, switch to the dough hook attachment and mix on medium speed (2 to 3 on a KitchenAid) for 4 to 5 minutes until the dough smooths and begins to cling slightly to the hook. This is a very soft dough and won’t completely clear the sides of the bowl at this point.
Let the dough rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.
Turn the mixer on low speed (STIR on a KitchenAid) and mix for 2 to 4 minutes until the dough gains more strength and begins to cling once again to the dough hook. Next, with the mixer running, add the room temperature butter, one pat at a time, waiting to add each pat until the previous one is fully absorbed. Adding all the butter will take 5 to 8 minutes. In the end, the dough will still be very soft, and it won’t altogether remove from the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a bulk fermentation container and cover.
3. Bulk fermentation – 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (4 hours)
At a warm room temperature, 74-76°F (23-24°C), bulk fermentation should take about 4 hours. If your kitchen is cooler, place your bulk container in a small home dough proofer, or extend the bulk fermentation time to give the dough more time to ferment. The dough is ready when it is smooth, puffy, and well-risen.
Give this dough two strengthening sets at 30-minute intervals. The first set starts after 30 minutes from the start of bulk fermentation. Give the dough a series of stretches and folds for the first set. Wet your hands, grab one side, and stretch it up and over the dough to the other side. Next, 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. The dough should be neatly folded up in the bowl.
For the second set, which starts 30 minutes after the completion of the first set, scrape the dough onto a clean counter. With wet hands, perform a few slaps and folds until the dough tightens and smooths. Then, rotate the dough with a bench scraper to form a tight ball (similar to how you’d shape a boule). Finally, transfer the dough back to the bulk fermentation container, cover, and rest for the remainder of bulk fermentation.
4. Divide and shape – 1:30 p.m.
Grease a 9 x 4 x 4-inch Pullman pan with neutral oil.
Fill a small bowl with water and place it next to your work surface. Scrape the dough onto a clean counter. Using a bench scraper in your dominant hand and other hand wet, divide the dough into three pieces, each weighing 200 grams (you will have a tiny bit of scrap leftover).
Then, shape each piece into a very taut round. As you shape each piece, place it into the Pullman pan, tucking it in tight so that each subsequent piece fits.
Cover the pan with a large, reusable plastic bag and seal.
5. Proof – 1:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
At warm room temperature, 74-76°F (23-24°C), this dough should take 3 ½ hours to fully proof. If your kitchen is cooler, expect it to take longer.
When fully proofed, the dough should rise almost to the rim of the Pullman pan.
6. Bake – 5:15 p.m.
This sourdough shokupan can be baked without the Pullman pan lid. With the lid on, no egg wash is necessary; just slide the lid into place and bake the loaf. The result will be bread with four completely straight sides. Alternatively, you can brush the top of the dough with an egg wash (which is a blended mixture of 1 whole egg and a splash of whole milk) just before baking, then leave the lid off. Wait until the oven is preheated to put the lid on or brush with egg wash.
Preheat the oven with a rack in the bottom-third to 350°F (175°C).
Place the pan into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. Then, take the pan out of the oven and carefully remove the lid. The crust should be a light golden brown and the loaf should have an internal temperature of around 200°F (93°C). If the temperature is lower, slide the cover back on, return the pan to the oven, and bake for 5 minutes longer. Then, check the internal temperature again.
Remove the pan from the oven, uncover, and let the loaf rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, turn the loaf out onto a wire rack and let cool completely (I prefer to let it cool overnight).
This sourdough shokupan will stay soft and moist for up to a week if the bread is stored properly.
Print
Sourdough Shokupan (Japanese Milk Bread)
- Prep Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf
Description
A Japanese-style bread with an incredibly thin, aromatic crust and super-soft interior. Perfect for sandwiches, toast, and pizza toast (yes, pizza toast). This naturally leavened bread has very subtle sour notes with a buttery finish and is as delicious as it is golden in color.
Ingredients
Levain
- 34g high-protein white flour (King Arthur Baking Bread Flour)
- 7g superfine sugar
- 34g water
- 13g ripe sourdough starter, 100% hydration
Tangzhong
- 31g high-protein white flour
- 122g whole milk
Main Dough
- 241g high-protein white flour
- 79g whole milk
- 50g egg (about one medium)
- 49g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 15g superfine sugar
- 6g salt
- 87g ripe levain
Topping
- If not using the Pullman pan lid, one whole egg and splash of whole milk for egg wash
Instructions
- Levain (9:00 p.m.)
In a medium jar mix together the Levain ingredients. Cover the jar and keep it at a warm temperature overnight. - Make the tangzhong (8:00 a.m. the next day)
In a medium saucepan, add the flour and milk. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture thickens and becomes like a paste, about 3-4 minutes. Let cool before mixing with other ingredients. - Mix (9:00 am)
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, milk, egg, sugar, salt, ripe levain, and tangzhong. Mix on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes until the ingredients come together and no dry bits remain. Next, switch to the dough hook attachment and mix on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes until the dough smooths and begins to cling slightly to the hook. Let the dough rest in the bowl for 10 minutes. Turn the mixer on low speed and mix for 2 to 4 minutes until the dough gains more strength and begins to cling once again to the dough hook. Next, with the mixer running, add the room temperature butter, one pat at a time (dding all the butter will take 5 to 8 minutes). Transfer the dough to a bulk fermentation container and cover.
-
Bulk Fermentation (9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.)
This dough will need 2 sets of stretches and folds during bulk fermentation where the first set starts after 30 minutes into bulk fermentation and the subsequent set is 30-minutes later. For the second set, I like to do a few light slap and folds on the counter to finish strengthening the dough. After the second set of stretches and folds, let the dough rest, covered, for the remainder of bulk fermentation.
- Divide and shape (1:30 p.m.)
Grease a 9 x 4 x 4 Pullman pan with neutral oil. Using a bench scraper in your dominant hand and other hand wet, divide the dough into three pieces, each weighing 200 grams (you will have a tiny bit of scrap leftover). Then, shape each piece into a very taut round. As you shape each piece, place it into the Pullman pan, tucking it in tight so each subsequent piece fits. Cover the pan with a reusable plastic bag and seal. - Warm Proof (1:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.)
Let the dough proof at warm temperature for about 3 1/2 hours until the dough rises just to the rim of the Pullman pan. - Bake (5:15 p.m.)
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Slide the lid of the Pullman pan on and bake for 45 minutes. Then, take the pan out of the oven and carefully remove the lid. The crust should be a light golden brown and have an internal temperature of around 200°F (93°C). If the temperature is lower, slide the cover back on and return the pan to the oven to bake for 5 minutes longer, and check again. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven, uncover, and let the loaf rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, turn the loaf out to a wire rack to cool completely (I prefer to let the loaf cool overnight).
Notes
- To make this sourdough shokupan vegan, use a butter alternative and nut milk in place of the dairy.
Sourdough shokupan (Japanese milk bread) Frequently Asked Questions
Can I proof this shokupan dough overnight in the refrigerator?
Yes, but know that the flavor might be slightly sourer given the longer proof time. Here’s how to do it: When you have finished shaping the dough and it’s in the Pullman pan, cover the pan with a large plastic bag, seal, and place in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, remove the pan from the fridge and let the dough finish proofing on the counter until it’s risen to the rim of the pan, 4 to 5 hours.
Can I make this sourdough shokupan without a stand mixer?
Yes, but given the added egg, butter, and sugar, I prefer using a stand mixer to develop the dough efficiently. If mixing by hand, hold back the butter and use the slap and fold technique to significantly strengthen the dough before massaging the room-temperature butter into the dough.
Can I use nut milk instead of dairy milk and make this Japanese milk bread vegan?
Yes, you absolutely can. See my guide to tangzhong and yudane for more on why this works.
Can I bake this without a Pullman pan?
Yes! If you don’t have a Pullman pan or pan with a lid, use a standard loaf pan (9 x 5 x 2.75-inches) instead. Then whisk together an egg wash (beat together 1 whole egg and a splash of whole milk) and gently brush the top of the dough with the wash before baking.
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour for this milk bread recipe?
All-purpose flour will work, but you may want to hold back 10-20 grams of the milk during mixing, only adding it in at the end if the dough feels cohesive and strong.
What’s next?
While there’s no denying this sourdough shokupan is delicious, sometimes a more wholesome bread hits the spot: look at my honey whole wheat pan loaf that also uses pre-cooked flour for extra tenderness.
154 Comments
My penultimate daughter loves this milk bread. I do use a slightly stiffer sweetened starter, and only make it if I have the day off because everything moves pretty fast. mixed starter at 900 bread is baking now at 1600. Even with part of the milk held back this dough is too sloppy to form tight balls (or I am not neat handed enough) and I have to use floured board and hands to even get it into soft globes but the pan does most of the work. I double it for the big Pullman pan, no lid. Very dramatic looking when risen, very soft and delicate crumb, and like someone else below, I can’t get it completely evenly fermented, there are some holes.
Sounds fantastic, Robin! Great mods for the larger pan, too.
The loaves start to collapse after i take the loaves out to cool. Is there a way to prevent it from collapsing? Or did i overproof it?
Be sure to leave them in the pan for a bit before removing them, they need to set fully (slightly cool) before removing. You might have also over proofed them just a bit, or the liquid in the recipe was slightly too much. I would first focus on letting them cool in the pan a bit before removing!
Have made this and it turns out great! Drop by here just to say thank you, this is an awesome recipe with so many helpful details. My shokupan texture was soft, and taste is complex in a good way with that slight sourness. I can eat that without even adding any jams or spread. I just felt that mine is having some uneven holes in its interior when cut, maybe because my imperfect shaping or kneading technique, but nevermind other than that anything else was just awesome. Thank you!
So glad to hear you like this shokupan, Ineke! I think it might be the perfect toast… Enjoy!
I do have a stand mixer! Used it for this recipe but think maybe I just didn’t leave it running for long enough pre-bulk fermentation. Can I ask during this instruction: “Adding all the butter will take 5 to 8 minutes. In the end, the dough will still be very soft, and it won’t altogether remove from the sides of the bowl”, what speed for the mixer? Should it pass the windowpane test at this stage? And seems like a silly thing to ask but would mixing more at this stage reduce how sticky the dough is from then on? Thanks very much, sorry for all the questions!
It should pass the windowpane test just before you add in the butter. After adding the butter, the dough will be smooth and elastic. Yes, more mixing will help!
Thank you so much! Looking forward to trying this again now
Have tried this a few times now and haven’t managed to be successful. All seems to be fine up until the bulk fermentation, but it just is far too sticky from that moment on. Slap and folds just leave dough everywhere, I can scrape it up but then it isn’t smooth at all. Then when I get to the end of bulk fermentation and try and made the taut rounds they are far too sticky and can’t get smooth at all. It’s almost mushy it’s so sticky
Should I mix more before bulk fermentation? More flour? Really at a loss because I’d love to make it and your recipes have never failed me so far! It is also pretty humid here at the moment which might explain it?
Do you have a stand mixer? I’m assuming you dont, and that’s ok. I would suggest holding back some of the liquid in the mix, it sounds like it might just be too much for the flour you’re using. This is definitely a sticky dough, but it should not be unmanageable!
So yes, hold back liquid or add some flour in to help stiffen and strengthen the dough. Also, be sure to use higher protein flour.
Let me know how the next attempt goes!
Just made this on Friday and had my last piece today (Monday) still soft! I find it a bit rich and wondering if I can use half water and half milk? Will it affect the texture?
Only problem I had was the top browned very quickly (I baked it uncovered) so I reduced the heat to 165 but the bottom was very pale. Next time I will try with the cover.
Thanks!
If too soft, yes, hold back some of the milk! If it’s browning too quickly, you can try reducing the temp and prolonging the bake time. Hope that helps and sorry for the delay, Martha!
Hi,
What signs should I watch for to know that the bulk fermentation is complete?
It should be jiggly in the container, well-risen, bubbles on the top, and smooth with elasticity!
Hi, for europeans the oven temperature is with fan?
Thanks for your amazing work
Hey, Albajandro! No, I did not bake this with convection (fan assist). I hope you like this loaf, it’s a good one! Enjoy.
hey Maurizio, I have been trying to get the dough perfectly square, but the top always comes out a bit rounded, as if it did not rise to the top of the pan with the lid on? When i remove the lid should the loaf be flush with the rim? Mine sits just below and so there is a bit of rounding on the corners. What am I doing wrong? Thanks!
Hey, Benjamin. I too sometimes see just a little rounding at the corners. It might be that your pan could use a small increase to the total dough weight, but it’s hard to say. I would try adding just a little more flour, maybe just 25g, and see if that helps fill in those corners.
Hey Maurizio. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I was wondering if you’ve ever scaled it? I’m going to make a 4x batch, but wasn’t sure if I needed to tweak anything for consistency.
Hey, Kate! It will scale just fine (and use bake’s percentages to do so). Just be sure you mix it to the same level as you would with a smaller batch.
I made this yesterday and enjoyed some of most brilliantly flavored, nuanced and textured toast this morning! Worth the time and effort! Thank you!
So glad to hear it turned out well for you, JJ!
Hi Maurizio,
I’ve been making a yeasted Shokupan with 50% white whole wheat and have had pretty good results. I prefer sourdough breads however, and would like to try this one with the same 50/50 formula. Do you think I would need to make any adjustments? Thanks in advance.
I think it’d work pretty well, but perhaps with a touch more sourness in the end result. Keep an eye on the dough during bulk and proof, it’ll likely ferment a little faster given the added whole grains!
Can’t wait to try this! I’m curious as to the shaping. I always see milk breads shaped with multiple pieces. I’m assuming there’s a reason?
I find it helps keep the structure intact, if it was a single piece it might collapse in the middle (the dough is really pushed to the limits!).
Makes sense. Thanks!
So glad to hear it turned out well for you, Karen!
Hi Maurizio,
I have tried to make this bread twice now and both times it has failed to rise during the proofing step. The levain is well risen when I’ve used it and the dough temperature is similar to yours. I make sure the initially ingredients are not too warm or cold so the starter doesn’t die, so I’m not sure why it’s not rising 🙁
Hmm, very strange! Is the dough very loose with too much liquid?
No the dough is actually quite strong. I’ve left it out for 72h now and it has risen but smells very acidic. I suspect maybe the levain was not as ripe as it should’ve been.
Hi Maurizio I’ve tried other Shokupan recipes in the past and yours has worked the best for me so far, thanks so much. It tastes amazing and always disappears rapidly on our house which is a good sign.
Having said that, I’m consistently finding there is no oven spring plus the baked loaves always collapse slightly while cooling. After the warm proof the dough has reached almost to the top of my pan but it never rises higher than that in the oven and the loaf shrinks down noticeably when cooling.
I tried extending and shortening the bulk fermentation and there was no difference. My flour is good high protein white flour that gives me excellent results for the Tartine country loaf. Is my dough maybe lacking strength? I did add an extra two stretches and folds during bulk today but it did not appear to make a massive difference.
So glad to hear that, Mark! Sorry for the delay. It sounds to me like you might be over proofing, especially if you’re not getting much spring in the oven and it’s collapsing. I would reduce bulk fermentation time by 15-30m to see if that helps. It’s also possible the dough is under-strengthened, you could try mixing a bit longer next go—you want a near windowpane!
I only have a 10×5×3 loaf pan. What do you recommend?
You’ll have to increase the dough weight, maybe by 33%.
Hi Maurizio, I did. the Shokupan yesterday. I am from Germany so we do not have the King Arthur Flour. I substitute with Manitoba Bread Flour from Mulino Marino. I refreshed my starter before making the Levain. I did S&F and Slap and Fold … but my dough did not want to rise. I proofed it 30 degrees in the box for 1h longer and also 1.5h longer in the pan still in the proofbox … but it only rised half of the height of the pan. Nethertheless crumb was great and taste as well. What could be problem why my dough was not rising? To short kneading? Thanks. Any help is highly appreciated. Best Mike
Hey, Mike! That’s great flour. If you refreshed your starter before using it you will have to give the dough a lot longer before it’s ready. You want to use your starter when it’s ripe, that means it has fermented for some number of hours (for me, 12 hours) and has a sour aroma. Hope this helps!
Hi Maurizio, I understand and it makes sense. To make the levain, you want a ripe starter (5-6h) and then using it for the making of the levain … so I will use my refreshing method for open crumb
7am: Feed starter from fridge 1:1:1 (78°F)
2pm: Feed 1:1:1 (78°F)
9pm: Feed 1:4:4 (74°F)
7am: Feed 1:2:2 (78°F)
2pm: Feed 1:2:2 (78°F)
9pm: Feed 1:5:5 (74°F)
{ 7am: Prepare levain 1:2:2 (80-83*F)
5-6 hours later (at max peak): use levain!
… learning by mistakes and doing … I will give it another try …
Do you think this will work now …
Thanks Mike
Let me know how it goes, Mike! We’re all learning with mistakes, that’s the name of the game 🙂
Hello Maurizio, I’m confused about “ripe” and “mature” sourdough starters. Are they the same thing? Is a “ripe” starter one that has been fed and has just peaked OR is it a hungry one? Your description here seems to refer to the latter given that it has a sour smell. Thank you!
I had used a fed starter and am at the bulk fermentation stage. But the dough still looks far from being ready for shaping as it’s sticky and slack. Am going to let it sit out longer as it’s cold today and hope that the condition will change. Fingers crossed.
Hi chef Maurizio! Thanks for helping us all get baked. A couple questions on your Shokupan here: 1) For the overnight cold proof option, you say to take it out of the fridge the next day and let the dough finish proofing on the counter for 4-5 hours. Why is this room-temp/post-fridge proof necessary, whereas it is not performed with your regular, non-enriched breads which go straight from the fridge to the oven? 2) Is a planetary mixer better to use here than a spiral mixer due to enrichments, or is spiral better for gluten development?
Hey, Ansel! This dough is a slower moving dough and I found it needs more time the next day to finish proofing (it doesn’t proof far/fast enough during the time it’s cooling in the fridge). Either style of mixer will work well with this dough. I used a planetary, but a spiral would work just fine as well (and may be a tad more efficient).
I have not made bread for awhile due to other circumstances. But today I tried this recipe and just polished off my first slice. Oh it so wonderful! There is just nothing like homemade bread. My dough was pretty sticky, and it seemed that it wasn’t going to rise enough to fill my Pullman pan. But rise it did, and I have a perfect loaf of bread. Thanks for a great recipe!
I am going to add though that my bread is a little sour, probably because I did not get started making the bread until about 11 am, so the levain sat longer than it should have before I mixed it. Of course that means I’ll have to try this recipe again!
Super glad to hear it turned out well for you, Mary! Yes, if the levain was a little over-ripe when used, that may contribute to additional sourness in the end. No worries, like you said, it’s another opportunity to make it again 🙂 Enjoy and thanks for the comments!
Does anybody have any idea on what to substitute the egg for to make this completely vegan? Should I just omit it and increase the fat or hydration for the loss weight? Maybe 33.3g water for the white and 16.7g of butter for the yolk, and maybe some soy lecithin for the gluten development to accurately mimic the egg yolk properties?
I know people have said they’ve used “flax eggs” in the past with success!
You have to substitute the butter as well, if you want to make it vegan, right? Were you thinking about any vegetable “butter”?
Your recipe is – as always – impeccably detailed and easy to follow.
I followed it step-by-step with 2 minor variations: I let the dough to proof in the fridge overnight, and baked it for just 30 minutes in my oven (the T had reached 96 °C).
Marvelous!
Thanks, Dalia. So glad it worked out well, and your variations sound right on 🙂 Thanks for the comments!
This recipe was amazing! My family devoured the loaf in one day. Next time I will double the recipe! I did make some changes but it all worked out. Since I only determined that I was going to make this recipe in the morning, I fed my starter with a 1:1:1 (27g) with the sugar at 8AM and used it at 1PM. Since I do not have a stand mixer, I mixed all of the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry (including sugar) in another and then I incorporated both. I added the butter by hand and kneaded by hand. I then let the dough bulk ferment for 2 hours before retarding to the fridge for 6 hours. Just before going to sleep, I shaped the dough in the loaf pan and let it proof on the counter overnight. I then baked first thing in the morning. I also added an egg wash. It turned out perfect! Thank you so much!
Ahh, so glad it worked out well for you, Lilly! I have done this a few times with and without the egg wash, hard to say which I like best 🙂
Thank you for sharing the recipe – despite me baking a bit too long (oops), it still turned out great. My kid commented the toast reminded him of his grandparents in Tokyo!
Oh that’s amazing to hear, so glad it turned out well and I don’t think there’s a better complement 🙂 As for the bake time, no worries, happens to us all and it’s an easy fix. Enjoy, Kyoko!
Hi Maurizio!
I’m studying the recipe to try tomorrow but am a little confused with the instructions for bulk fermenting. Are you suggesting one stretch and fold 30 min in, and one slap and fold after another 30, then rest for the next 3 hours? or a repeat of the two every 30 minutes?
Thank you for the recipes, I’m excited to try them 🙂
What you said first, Daisy!
Thank you. Made this and was so pleased with the result. I really appreciate your generosity in sharing all your expertise and recipes.
A question. For my taste the bread is a bit too sweet. Is the sugar important to the proofing of the bread? Would it be possible to remove of reduce the sugar and still get a good loaf?
Glad it turned out well! You can reduce the sugar in the final dough, but I would leave the sugar in the levain. You could get away with cutting the sugar in the final dough by half or so without too much change, expect that the dough might need an earlier divide in bulk fermentation, though!
Could you use honey or maple syrup instead of sugar? Or would I have to adjust the milk to switch to one of those?
Excellent recipe! My white-bread fan friend declared “this is the best one you made”. If you’re in the mood for nice light and tender white bread, you don’t have to look any further. I have to say I’m partial to more whole grain bread but I’ll keep this in rotation even if to make my friends happy…and me too! As for baking, this is typical of other enriched bread, give it time to proof. Mine went an additional hour before it was ready. I baked it in a 13x4x4 pullman pan and your suggestion for 33% more was just about right. It didn’t fill out the corners completely but rose to touch the lid when it was done.
Right on, Larry, glad you guys like it! I’m with you, I much prefer bread with more whole wheat, my tastes have really moved in this direction over the years I’ve baked… BUT! It is awesome to have a versatile loaf like this anytime you’re in the mood 🙂 Thanks, as always, for the comments and Happy New Year!
what exactly is the ‘pre-fermented flour’? Is it something you buy, or something you make?
Hey, Addison! That’s flour fermented ahead of time, before mixing. In this case, it’s the entirety of the “levain” made the night before 🙂 Check out my guide to the differences between a starter and levain which goes into this!
I might be crazy, but after mixing the dough I realized that the total dough formula says its 680g but if you add up all the ingredients in the printable recipe for the mix step plus the tangzoung its a good deal higher. I don’t think the levain ingredients were removed from the list – the water and full flour amount are listed in addition to the already build levain. The fully written recipe is similar. The levain is built, but the ingredients in step 3 are individually included in the build (total flour is 275g rather than 241g, water is still included and 13g starter are called for).
You’re right, Andrew. Sorry about the confusion, I’ve fixed the amounts!
Thanks for the awesome formula. My bread turned out wonderful!
Glad to hear that, Andrew!
Hi, when using a 9x5x2.75 (1.25lb) pan, should this recipe be scaled and/or how high should it rise in that pan?
Hey, James! I’m assuming it’ll have no lid, which means you have some room for error there. I’d probably go with a slight reduction in the total dough weight to accommodate your pan, which has less overall volume (about 15% smaller). Maybe drop the dough weight by 15% or so and see how that works!
Hey Maurizio, thanks for the quick reply. Should the proof still be to just below the lip of that pan when scaled down?
I ask because after much fiddling making your making your Sourdough Sandwich Bread with Pre-cooked Flour in a 9×5 pan, I found it better not to scale down and let it rise about 1.5in above the rim; otherwise it comes out under proofed. That sandwich bread recipe is super good, btw and is my new go-to.
You definitely want the dough to be fully proofed in any case, but if you’re looking to use the lid on the pullman pan you’ll have to ensure the dough doesn’t rise above the rim for proofing! That means, you’ll need to scale down the quantity to ensure it can rise and proof sufficiently but not rise above the rim.
Thanks Maurizio. Made this last night and turned out pretty well. Tasted great with a little mayo and thin sliced ham. Looking forward to toasting it for breakfast, maybe french toast.
I scaled it down for the 9x5x2.75 pan as you suggested intending to bake without a lid but probably over proofed, it got away from me rising just above the lip of the pan and came out with some larger holes just under the top crust of the loaf. Baked it for 40 minutes but that was probably too long as well, coming out to a medium to dark golden brown and 210F. Used the egg wash since there wasn’t a lid. May do this again scaled down, watch the proofing and improvise a lid and/or full scale without the lid and suitable rise above the top of the pan.
For the mixing, I used the KithcenAid (almost always mix by hand) and opted to use the Rubaud method for the second set of stretches since that’s my go-to over slap-and-fold but it didn’t respond well. So went to slap-and-fold and it firmed up better for the final shape, but still a little loose. Not sure it was the s-n-f itself or the combination; or perhaps too much milk (50-60% humidity here)?
Glad it turned out mostly well, James! Yeah, I feel like drop the milk a bit to compensate for your location/flour and it’ll help strengthen up the dough. Be sure to really develop the dough in the mixer before adding in all of the enrichments (or all of the milk), which will help strengthen the gluten before it becomes over hydrated.
But yes, a reduction in the liquid will really help!
Keep me posted if you make this again, it sounds like you’re on the right track.
Hey Maurizio, coming back with an update. Made this again with better results. This time the humidity was down to 35% so used the all the milk. Made two loaves while scaling down 15% to fit the 9x5x2.75 loaf pans and improvised a cover while baking. Baked for the specified time and the loaves turned out a wonderful light golden brown on the sides and bottom. The tops were slightly brown (pale) probably because the improvised top was a cookie sheet with parchment paper held down by a casserole dish. Or perhaps because I put it in the middle rack instead of the lower third. Still, lovely thin crust, tight crumb that was very tasty. Shared a loaf with the neighbors.
The dough came together nicely using the mixer. I did add a few tablespoons of flour in the beginning ’cause it just seemed to need it. Went back to the Rubaud method (5 minutes-10 rest-2 minutes) instead of slap-n-fold and the dough behaved much better than last time. Nice smooth, puffy dough that rolled easily into a semi-loose ball that was a little tacky. Somewhat sticky for the final shaping but manageable.
Next time, will go back to full scale without the improvised lid, probably better suited for a regular loaf pan.
Thanks for the updates, James! Sounds like your mods were spot on this time, and great work adjusting based on the climate (something I still sometimes fail to pay attention to!). Yeah, this dough does work really well in a regular loaf pan with egg wash, I’ll sometimes go this route for a different presentation, that well-colored top just looks so nice.
Enjoy (and sorry for the late reply)!
If I am using a large-size Pullman (13x4x4), what should the total dough weight be? Thanks in advance!
It takes a bit of testing to get the dough just right for this recipe so it completely fills the pan with the lid on. I would probably start around maybe 900 grams? That would be about a 33% increase in total dough weight. This dough rises super tall during proof and bake, so while it make not look like there’s much dough in the pan, it’ll fill 🙂
Hi Maurizio, I am looking into using my 13 x 4 x 4 pan for this. You say 33% increase. 13/9 is more like 44%. Sounds like simple volume is not enough to go on? Thanks!
The style of the dough (white flour, high rise, not overly hydrated) also plays into it, so it’s very hard to judge—testing is always needed. I’d start with around 33%, then work up!
Many thanks. Will try later.
Thanks for this recipe! The loaves came out beautifully! One question…for cooling the Tangzhong I’ve taken to mixing in some of my colder ingredients (butter to melt it, some milk to finish bringing the temperature down) instead of the spreading it out on a sheet. Aside from the loss of temperature accuracy, is there any reason I shouldn’t be pre mixing the Tangzhong with other wet ingredients? Thanks!
Awesome, Michael, so glad it turned out great. I don’t see any issue with that and it’s a great idea! Enjoy 🙂
Always wondered this, do you account for wastage in the Levain and in this case the tangzhong? Should I multiply them by 1.5 to ensure I have the full amount?
In some recipes, yes, but in most, no, I do not. It’s typically ok for the levain or tangzhong to come in a little below. if you want to hit the number exactly, yes, make a little more of each!
Hi. Thanks for the recipe. Would it make good buns?
You’re welcome, Garth! Yes, this would make incredible buns. The dough is very soft, but it’ll hold up just fine. I’d probably divide at around 100-120g.
In the fully-written section of the recipe …”To a medium saucepan, add the 31 grams tangzhong flour and 79 grams tangzhong milk.” should that be “add 122 g whole milk” ?
Yes, thank you! Now fixed.