Shokupan, also known as Hokkaido milk bread, Japanese milk bread, and pai bao, is a very soft Japanese milk bread, also popular in Korea, China, and Singapore, and literally means "food bread." It is often mistakenly associated with our bread, while in reality, it is closer to brioche and can be enjoyed with both sweet and savory ingredients.
What makes shokupan unique, however, is the preparation technique used to make it, called the tang zhong or water roux method (https://saintelucie.ch/blogs/quelques-idees-pour-la-cuisine/comment-preparer-le-pain-au-lait-tangzhong-tang-zhong-a-la-maison), a Japanese baking technique that produces a soft and light dough. This very simple technique involves preparing a pre-dough with a mixture of flour and water, similar to making a roux but without milk, then heating the mixture to around 65°C: this makes the bread particularly fluffy and airy. We will make it in a simplified version by activating the dry brewer's yeast with warm water, sugar, and honey before adding the flour, powdered milk, butter, and a pinch of salt. The dough will then be brushed with butter before baking. At the end of preparation, you can slice it and enjoy it as you like.Ingredients
TO ACTIVATE THE YEAST
WARM WATER - 240 ml
SUGAR - 25 grams
HONEY - 10 grams
DRY BREWER'S YEAST - 7 grams
FOR THE DOUGH
00 FLOUR - 350 gr
SOFTENED BUTTER - 25 grams
POWDERED MILK - 20 grams
SALT - 7 grams
FOR BRUSHING
BUTTER
How to prepare shokupan or Hokkaido milk bread
Step 1 - In a bowl, mix the water with the sugar, honey, and dry brewer's yeast. Let rest for 10 minutes to activate the yeast
Step 2 - Mix the flour with the powdered milk, add salt, and add the dry ingredients to the yeast mixture.
Step 3 - Stir with chopsticks until the liquid is absorbed
Step 4 - Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes. Mix the dough with a mixer for 5 minutes
Step 5 - Add the softened butter and knead for another 5 minutes.
Step 6 - Shape the dough into a ball, cover it with a cloth, and let it rise for 2 hours or until it doubles in size.
Step 7 - Divide the dough into 3 small balls. Roll each out with a rolling pin and shape into a loaf
Step 8 - Place the loaves in a buttered and floured rectangular loaf pan and let them rise for 1 hour.
Step 9 - Brush the dough with melted butter and place it on a heat-resistant board.
Step 10 - Bake the bread in a fan oven at 190°C for 20 minutes. Let it cool completely before removing from the pan
Step 11 - The shokupan is ready to be enjoyed