Milk Bread (Extra Fluffy and Foolproof!)

Baked Milk bread rolls resting on a wire rack.

5 from 3 votes

Milk Bread (Extra Fluffy and Foolproof!)

My homemade Milk Bread recipe is a fool-proof method to make the fluffiest, softest, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious Milk Bread! It's perfectly chewy and super moist - perfect as dinner rolls or for any recipes that call for bread!

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Resting Time2

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings: rolls

Author: Chris Joe

Equipment

Ingredients

Tangzhong

2 tablespoons water 28g
3 tablespoons whole milk 43g
2 tablespoons Flour 14g

Dough

3 cups Bread Flour + more if needed (see note) 375g
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon instant yeast 7g
1/2 cup whole milk room temperature
1 large egg
5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled to room temperature
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Garlic Butter

8 tbsp unsalted butter melted
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp parsley minced

Instructions

To make the tangzhong: Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan, and whisk until no lumps remain.
Place the saucepan over medium low heat, and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until thick and the whisk leaves lines on the bottom of the pan, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer the tangzhong to a small mixing bowl or measuring cup and let it cool to room temperature.
To make the dough: Combine the tangzhong with the remaining dough ingredients, then mix and knead — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — until a smooth, elastic dough forms.
Shape the dough into a ball, and let it rest in a lightly greased covered bowl for 60 to 90 minutes, until puffy but not necessarily doubled in size.
Gently deflate the dough with your hands, divide it into 8 equal pieces (for large rolls) or 10 equal pieces (for medium-sized rolls), and shape each piece into a ball.
Place the rolls into a buttered cake pan with even space in between the rolls. Cover the pan, and let the rolls rest in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the rolls with milk or egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water), and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown on top; a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the middle roll should read at least 190°F.
Remove the rolls from the oven. Allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
For the Garlic Butter, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until just sizzling. Add the chopped garlic and saute for 1 minute until the garlic is softened. Turn off the heat, then add chopped parsley and mix to combine. Brush immediately over the warm rolls.

Notes

NOTE: I'm putting weighted measurements in grams to be more precise - I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure out your ingredients to eliminate any measurement errors!

To make a loaf: After the dough's initial rise, divide it into four equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a rectangle, then fold the short ends in towards one another like a letter. Flatten the folded pieces into rectangles again and, starting with a short end, roll them each into a log. Place the logs in a row of four — seam side down and side by side — in a lightly greased 9" x 5" loaf pan. Cover the loaf and allow it to rest/rise for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy. Brush the loaf with milk or egg wash and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, until golden brown on top and a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads at least 190°F. Remove the loaf from the oven, and cool it on a rack

If the dough is too sticky during the kneading process (this may depend on where you live and elevation). Add bread flour 1-2 tbsp at a time until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Nutrition