How to make Sourdough Hokkaido Milk Bread

Hokkaido milk bread with Sourdough| Sourdough Japanese Milk Bread with Tangzhong|

Sourdough Hokkaido Milk Bread is our today's bake! It is a Japanese milk bread that is super moist, fluffy, and soft.
The key to this bread is its super soft texture, which is the result of the Tangzhong.

Tangzhong is like water Roux. But do not confuse it with Roux. Though the technique of cooking is very similar, they have different objectives.
Roux has a French origin and is flour and fat mixture used for thickening sauces.
Tangzhong on the other hand is a Japanese technique, which aims at making the loaves of bread moist and fluffy.

A little background :

Hokkaido is the second largest island in Japan. It is known for its dairy industry. Hence the milk from that particular region is branded as Hokkaido Milk. This soft, light, fluffy, and springy Japanese bread originally made with the Hokkaido milk was marketed as Hokkaido milk bread.
Slowly these bread reached international markets and became popular as Hokkaido milk bread.

These soft pillowy… loaves today are a household name.
People around the world have adapted the recipes according to the locally available ingredients.
But the name stayed, Hokkaido Milk bread! No matter what brand of milk you use.

Today we are putting our hands in the dough world of Hokkaido milk bread…. And did I mention it's an eggless recipe?
Let's get started

Tangzhong

  In Tangzhong ( Water Roux ) the flour is cooked with milk or/and water until the starch in the flour starts to gelatinize. When the flour and liquid mixture starts to thicken, one can say that the gelatinization has begun.

For the curious Bakers:

Starch gelatinization is a process, of breaking down the intermolecular bonds of starch molecules in water and heat, allowing the hydrogen bonding sites to engage more water.

• It simply means that the flour can now absorb more water, 
• And more water means more moist dough,
• Which will lead to softer baked bread,
• That remains soft, moist, and fresher for a longer period after baking.

So, we call this process Tangzhong. Also, the resultant thick slurry of partially cooked flour and liquid is called Tangzhong.

There is various accepted flour to liquid ratios of Tangzhong. But it has no set rule. 

For this milk bread, I like to keep it slightly above 1:3. I have got the best results with this ratio. 

Ingredients for the Sourdough Hokkaido Milk Bread

1. Bread flour

I have used bread flour simply because it helps the bread to rise better due to a higher gluten ratio. You can replace bread flour with an equal quantity of All-purpose flour.

2. Milk:

I like to use whole milk only. It makes bread softer and enhances the flavor.
 

3. Dry milk:

I love to add dry milk. It makes the bread more flavorful and soft without needing to add more liquid.

To list a few benefits of Dry milk:

• It makes the loaf softer: The milk fat acts as a tenderizer by interfering with gluten production.
• Dry milk adds flavor to the loaf.
• It enhances the browning of the crust due to the potential caramelization of the milk sugars.
• Do all the things above without influencing the hydration ratio much.
  

4. Butter

Butter or oil prevents the dough from getting very elastic or chewier when baked. So, butter makes our Hokkaido milk bread :

1. Softer in texture
2. Gives flavor
3. Help to keep the bread moist for longer, as fat is a natural preservative.
   

5. Sugar:

Sugar is a must to add flavor and color to our Milk bread. But while adding sugar always remember sugar is highly hydrophilic. It competes for water with the yeasts and gluten. So, adding more sugar can inhibit the dough rise. So always measure the sugar before adding it to the bread recipes. Especially any sourdough recipes. 

Now that we are done with the ingredients, let's discuss the method.

Feeding the starter for the Sourdough Hokkaido Milk Bread

I start by feeding the sourdough starter. Mine is usually resting in the fridge. So like to remove it from the refrigerator, hours before baking and giving it a feeding if needed.

 When the starter is at room temperature and ripe, we are ready to roll.

Making the Tangzhong

In a saucepan mix water, flour, and milk. Whisk well to remove any lumps and form a smooth paste.

When you have a smooth paste, turn on the flame and cook it at medium speed while stirring continuously. It will thicken very quickly and can possibly stick to the base of the pan if left unattended. 

So I suggest stay close by and keep stirring it. Once it starts to thicken quickly turn off the flame and keep stirring for a few seconds. 

The easy way to understand the right point to stop cooking is :

When the slurry starts to get thicker and you could see the whisk marks at the base of the pan as you stir it. A candy thermometer should read 150 0 F at this point. That is the point to turn off the flame.

Let the Tangzhong slurry come to room temperature before using it in the recipe.

Hokkaido Milk Bread Dough

I have kept this recipe very simple because it already involves making the Tangzhong. And you did little wrist stirring there.

 So just dump all the ingredients in your stand mixer and let the stand mixer do the rest of the job.

We just want to ensure that the milk is at room temperature and butter is melted, but not hot.

Shaping the loaf for the Sourdough Hokkaido Milk Bread

Now when creating a loaf you can choose the pan of your choice. It could be round or square or bake them as individual buns. They make excellent burger buns. I always some individual buns.

My kiddo is always asking for hot cross buns. So I prepare a huge loaf in my 11x7 inch pan and bake a few individual buns for her.

The recipe will make 16-18 medium-sized rolls They fit well in a big 9x13 inch baking pan. 

But the rectangular pans are not that deep. Deep springform pans or any other deep baking pan supports better rise and fluff in this Sourdough Hokkaido Milk Bread. 

So, in case you happen to have a 9-10 inch deep springform pans, go for it. You would need 2 of them.  

These are just suggestions. There is no fixed shape for this milk bread. Choose the pan as per your choice and availability.

Pro Tips

Key Tips for making the super soft Sourdough Hokkaido Milk Bread

• Measure the flour using a scale. If using the volume measurements, take care to fluff the flour before filling the measuring cups and level the flour with something straight.

• Do not over-cook the Tangzhong. Keep stirring while you make it. Also, let it come to room temperature before adding to the dough mixture.
  
• Melt the butter and let it cool. It should not be hot. 
  
• The milk should be at room temperature.
  
• Replace bread flour with an equal portion of All-purpose Flour.
  
• To obtain perfectly equal-sized buns, use a scale to weigh the dough.
  
• After shaping, let the dough rise well above the rim of the baking pan. 
  
• Hokkaido milk bread can also be baked as individual buns. They make excellent burger buns. 
  
• Do not brush the buns with milk before placing them in the oven. There are chances of deflating the beautifully risen Japanese milk bread. Instead, give them a gentle spray of water if you have a spray bottle in hand.
  
  
• Let it bake for some time and then give its surface a milk wash. Milk wash ensures a glossy glorious top of Hokkaido milk bread.
  
  
• Placing a pan with hot water on the lower shelf of the oven helps to achieve a soft crust.

A few popular sourdough recipes

• How to make sourdough hot dog buns from scratch?
  
• Bread in an instant pot
  
• Rainbow bread

So do give these beauties a try. And do not forget to tag on Instagram. I would love to hear about it.