Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan)

Ingredients

• 1350 g Bread Flour(350g)
• 2210 g Whole Milk(210g)
• 350 g Water(50g)
• 420 g Sugar(20g)
• 510 g Honey(10g)
• 63 g Instant Yeast(3g)
• 77 g Kosher Salt(7g)
• 825 g Unsalted Butter(25g)

Instructions

1. 1Combine 25g of bread flour and 50g of boiling water in a small bowl to make the yudane. Mix until smooth and let cool.
2. 2In a large bowl, mix the remaining bread flour, sugar, salt, whole milk, honey, and instant yeast.
3. 3Add the cooled yudane to the bowl and mix until a dough forms.
4. 4Knead the dough for 10 minutes.
5. 5Gradually add the room temperature butter, one cube at a time, kneading until fully incorporated.
6. 6Continue kneading for another 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test.
7. 7Cover the dough and let it proof for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
8. 8Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a ball, and let rest for 30 minutes.
9. 9Roll out each ball, fold into thirds, then roll into a scroll shape.
10. 10Place the scrolls into a buttered loaf tin.
11. 11Let the dough proof for about 1 hour, or until it rises to 90% of the height of the tin.
12. 12Seal the tin and bake at 220°C for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.
13. 13Remove from the oven, let cool, then slice and serve.