Hokkaido Milk Toast

Be forewarned: This bread is dangerous.  I have a name for breads like this - MAKE-ME-FAT-BREAD, MMFB for short.  Hokkaido milk toast is a fluffy, soft and sweet bread.  I usually find them in Chinese bakeries in NYC.  They are delicious eaten plain and because of the light soft texture, very easy to eat.  The recipe yields a bread that is über close to what I buy in Chinatown.  I doubt I will ever purchase this bread again - homemade is the way to go.

Sometimes you want to get down and dirty and make things by hand.  At times (when I'm too lazy to wash the food processor) I will make pie dough by hand which comes together pretty quickly.  For this recipe, don't even consider it.  Use a mixer or bread maker.  This dough is super sticky to the tenth power.

My husband, Christian, who is the toughest food critic in this house was quite pleased with the bread.  Next time I would divide the dough into 4 or 5 equal parts instead of 3 - the MMFB was triumphant in compelling me to eat 1/3 of the loaf.  Today was simultaneously a bread making victory and a setback against the battle of the bulge. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Shape dough into balls

Roll out into oval shape

Fold top third down

Fold bottom third up

With seam-side down, roll into a rectangle

With seam-side up, roll up the dough

Proof for 40 minutes

Brush top with egg wash

Hokkaido Milk Toast

Adapted from "65C Bread Doctor" by Yvonne Chen

Ingredients for tangzhong (The amount is enough to make two loafs):
1/3 cup bread flour
1 cup water (could be replaced by milk, or 50/50 water and milk)

Ingredients for bread:
2½ cups bread flour
4T granulated sugar
1t salt
1 large egg
1T+1t milk powder (to increase fragrance, optional)
½cup milk
1/2 batch of tangzhong (above)
2 t instant yeast
3T butter (cut into small pieces, softened at room temperature)


Method for making tangzhong:
Mix flour in water well without any lumps. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring consistently with a wooden spoon, whisk or spatula to prevent burning and sticking while you cook along the way.  The mixture becomes thicker and thicker. Once you notice some “lines” appear in the mixture for every stir you make with the spoon. It’s done. Remove from heat.

Transfer into a clean bowl. Cover with a cling wrap sticking onto the surface of tangzhong to prevent from drying up. Let cool. Chill in fridge for several hours.  Then the tangzhong is ready to be used. (Note: When you are ready to use the tangzhong, just measure out the amount you need and let it rest in room temperature for a while before adding into other ingredients. The tangzhong can be stored up to a few days as long as it doesn't turn grey. If so, you need to discard it and cook some more.)

Method for making bread:
Combine all dry ingredients: flour, salt, sugar and instant yeast in a mixer bowl. Whisk and combine all wet ingredients: milk, egg and tangzhong, then add to the dry ingredients. When the dough has formed add in the butter. With a dough hook, knead the dough for 20-25 minutes until the dough is smooth, no longer sticky and elastic. Knead the dough into a ball shape. Place in a greased bowl and cover with a damp towel or cling wrap. Let it proof till it's doubled in size, about 40 minutes.

Transfer to a clean floured surface. Deflate and divide the dough into three equal portions. Knead into ball shapes. Cover with cling wrap, let rest for 15 minutes.

Roll out each portion of the dough with a rolling pin into an oval shape. Fold top third down, then the bottom third upwards.  With the seam down, roll out into a rectangle then flip over and roll into a cylinder (seam will be facing up).

Arrange the rolled-up dough in a greased loaf pan. Leave it for the 2nd round of proofing, about 40 minutes, or until the dough rises up to 3/4 of the height of the loaf pan inside.
Brush whisked egg on surface. Bake in a pre-heated 330 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and loaf pan. Transfer onto a wire rack and let cool completely. Slice to serve or place in an airtight plastic bag or container once it's thoroughly cooled.