Soft & Cottony Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan)

For key visual process photos, refer to the body of the blog post.

Make the tangzhong:

1. In a small saucepan, combine milk, water and flour together.
2. Over medium-low heat, stir until the mixture becomes a thick paste. (Note: it will thicken up quickly).
3. Remove tangzhong from the pot and transfer to a stand mixer bowl. Let cool.

Make the dough:

1. Into the same stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook, add in the flour, sugar, salt and egg.
2. In a small bowl, combine warmed milk and yeast. Stir to activate the yeast and set aside for a few minutes. Once bubbly, add the yeast mixture into the stand mixer bowl.
3. Turn on the mixer and knead until the dough comes together. It may appear dry at first, but will come together.
4. Once the dough is smooth, add in the butter in small pieces while the mixer is running.
5. Wait until each piece is fully incorporated into the dough before adding the next piece.
6. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes in the mixer.
7. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap/cloth. Place in a warm location and let it double in size, about 60-90 minutes, depending on how warm your kitchen is.
8. Deflate the dough and divide into 3 equal portions.
9. Flatten out and roll each piece of dough into a long oval or rectangle shape about 2.5" wide and 6-7" long.
10. Coil the dough up like a snail and pinch the seams closed.
11. Place the dough seam-side down in the loaf pan. Repeat with the remaining dough.
12. Slide the lid on the loaf pan on and place in a warm location to rise again.
13. Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C.
14. Once the loaf has almost risen to the top of the pan, bake at 350°F/177°C for 30-35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 200°F/93°C.
15. Let the milk bread cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.