high protein milk bread (shokupan)

first, combine the ingredients for the tangzhong in a saucepan over medium low heat. cook while stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes, until it thickens into a pudding-like, pasty consistency.

next, in either a food processor or stand mixer bowl, combine all dry ingredients for the dough, making sure everything is evenly dispersed.

add in the tangzhong along with all wet ingredients aside from the butter. once the dough has come together into a shaggy mass, knead on low for 5 minutes to develop strength in the dough. we leave out the butter for this step because fat inhibits gluten formation, bread making 101 :)

add water to dough in 15g increments as needed, remember you can always add more. the hydration of the dough depends a lot on how far you cooked your tangzhong

after 5 minutes of kneading, add in the butter and allow it to continue kneading on low until completely homogenous and smooth (another 5+ minutes).

at this point, turn out the dough and roll it into a smooth ball. set in a greased bowl and let it rise for one hour at room temperature.

when the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to prevent too much gas buildup. turn out the dough onto a floured surface and divide in two. shape each portion into round balls and let them rest for 15 minutes, covered.

to shape, degas once again, flatten, and roll out each portion into a rectangle. fold each side into the center, then roll upward into a burrito shape. refer to video for a visual cue on shaping. place the burritos into a greased loaf pan (link to the one I used) and leave in a warm spot until proofed, for me it took about an hour. you know the dough is proofed when you poke it and it springs back slowly. in the meantime, preheat your oven to 375°F

once proofed, bake for around 35-40 minutes. be conservative here, we aren’t exactly looking for much of a crust. when finished baking, allow the loaf to cool completely before slicing in :)