Japanese Style Soft Bread 日式麵包

Today I am making Japanese style soft bread based on the popular 'tangzhong' 湯種 method. In Japanese, 'tang' 湯 refers to hot water/soup and 'zhong' 種 here refers to grain/flour product. Bread flour is cooked with water to 65 deg C to create a distinctive water roux starter. This roux enables better water retention, and when added to the dough results in soft and moist bread.

I made ham & cheese buns, and also had some fun creating different shapes with the dough. If you are up for a "knead-challenge" and enjoy soft fluffy bread, join me in making this gratifying recipe.

Note: This Japanese bread has refined crumb structure and remains soft and fresh for a few days, due to the high dough hydration (water to flour ratio) and unique structure of tangzhong which enables the bread to hold and retain more liquid. 


JAPANESE STYLE SOFT BREAD RECIPE
Makes 8 buns
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Ingredients

To make tangzhong
1/6 cup (25g) bread flour
1/2 cup (125ml) water

Tangzhong
Make tangzhong before you prepare the other ingredients to allow it to cool down. Mix bread flour and water well in a small pot and cook over medium-low heat. Stir continuously as the mixture cooks quickly. Once it becomes thick and some lines form in the mixture when you stir, it is done. Or you can measure with a thermometer - it should be 150 deg F (or 65C). Let it cool down to room temperature.

To make bread
350g (2½  cups) bread flour
55g (1/4 cup) sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp instant yeast
125ml (1/2 cup) milk
1 large egg + some egg for final brush before baking
3 Tbsp (30g) butter (softened and cut into small pieces)
Tangzhong from above
Ham & cheese or preferred fillings


a) Kneading

Combine flour, sugar, salt, yeast, milk, egg and tangzhong in a large bowl and mix well. Knead the dough. This dough is very wet and sticky initially - keep working on it until it begins to come together. Add in the butter. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, and pass the window-pane test. It takes me about 35 minutes to knead by hand.

Window-pane test: Stretch the dough and if it forms a thin membrance which does not tear apart yet allows some light to come through, it is done. You can also do the finger-test, poke your finger through the stretched dough and you should get a nice round circle (not irregular tear). Do not over-knead.

(Options: Dough can be knead by hand, in a mixer or bread machine.)

b) First Rise
Shape the dough into a ball. Place in a greased bowl and cover with a wet towel or cling wrap. Let it rise till double in size, about an hour or more.

(Note: the time will vary based on the weather. The ideal temperature for rising is 80-86 deg F/26-30C. When the weather is cold, I place the dough in the microwave or oven with a cup of hot water. This increases the temperature and humidity for the dough rise.)

c) Shaping
Transfer dough to clean floured surface, deflate the dough by lightly punching down on it, and divide into 8 equal portions. Shape them into balls, cover with cling wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, roll out each piece of dough into a circle shape. Place some ham and cheese in the middle of the circle, bring the edges of the circle together at the top, then pinch the dough to seal it. Use your palms to nudge it into a roundish shape. The sealed side becomes the bottom of the bun.

d) Second Rise
Arrange the dough on a greased (or parchment paper lined) baking tray. Allow for second round of rising for an hour (or more) in a warm and humid place, till the dough doubles in size.

e) Baking
Right before baking, brush whisked egg on each bun. Pre-heat oven to 355F (180C) before baking the bread for 20-25 minutes. Watch the bread during the last 5 to 10 minutes - different ovens bake differently and remove them once they turn a nice golden-brown color.

Transfer to cooling rack and enjoy the bread with a cup of tea!


Tip: If you prefer the braided style see the steps below (no ham & cheese added here):

- break up the dough portion into 3 parts and roll them into ropes.
- pinch one end of the 3 ropes together and spread out the ropes.
- take the right rope and cross it over the middle rope.
- then take the left rope and cross it over the middle rope.
- take right rope again and cross it over the middle rope.
- just repeat the left and right cross-over till the dough is used up
- pinch the ends to seal

Be creative with the dough and experiment with different shapes, it's fun and won't break!