I found this recipe in The New York Times. It requires a couple steps, but I find it to be an extremely versatile dough. It tastes like King’s Hawaiian bread and is what I use to make hamburger buns, filled bag buns and Picnic Muffaletta. Mom‘s streamlined version (Quick Milk Buns) is perfectly delicious as well.
Helen
Starter:
- 1/3 cup bread flour
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup water
Dough:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 5 cups bread flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
Make Starter: Combine 1/3 cup bread flour, 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thickened, whisking constantly. Transfer to mixing bowl.
Make Dough: Combine starter with salt, sugar, eggs and milk in a stand mixer with dough hook. Mix to cool the starter to lukewarm. Add flour and yeast and mix for 5 minutes, until a dough has formed. Add softened butter, one tablespoon at a time and mix until a smooth dough is formed – about 10 minutes. The dough will be soft. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about an hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment, or grease 2 loaf pans. Divide dough in half, shape into 2 round loaves if baking freeform, 12 hamburger buns, 18 small dinner rolls, or 2 loafs in loaf pans. Let rise in prepared loaf pans for 35 minutes or until dough reaches top of pans. Bake large round loaves or loaf pans for 35 minutes, and buns for 15-20 minutes.
Spencer Family Cookbook 
2 thoughts on “Japanese Milk Bread”