Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan)

In the KitchenAid mixing bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, salt, honey and yeast. Stir until everything has dissolved and been incorporated.

Add the milk powder and stir until it has fully dissolved.

Add the bread flour, and turn on the mixer to stir.

Set the KitchenAid to speed 2 for 2 minutes.

Increase the speed to speed 4 for 4 minutes.

Add the butter and set the mixer to speed 2 for 2 minutes.

Increase the speed to speed 4 for 4 minutes.

Increase the speed to speed 6 for 3 minutes.

• You might need to hold down your mixer

Do the windowpane test.

• If it fails, knead it again at speed 6 for 2-3 minutes and check again until successful.

Check the dough temperature, insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the dough. It should be 79–82ºF (26–28ºC) and not lower or higher than this temperature.

Remove the dough from the bowl to shape into a taut ball. Lightly oil the mixer bowl, place the dough ball back into the bowl, cover and place in a warm location (~95-100ºF) for 40 minutes.

• It should triple in size

Once the dough has tripled in size, dust some flour on top and use your index finger to poke the middle of the dough. If the hole does not close up, it’s ready. If the dough closes up immediately, proof the dough a little longer and test again.

Very lightly flour your work surface.

Uncover and invert the bowl to release the dough onto your work surface. Using your fingers, gently press down and deflate the dough. Remember to keep one smooth surface on your dough at all times. My smooth surface is currently on the bottom of the dough.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle. Trifold like a brochure to the length of the bread pan and then roll it up so it fits lengthwise in the pan.

Grease the bread pan.

Place the dough into the pan and cover it to proof for 30 min.

Preheat the oven to 425°F (400°F if convection oven).

• Set the oven rack to a lower position where the top edge of your loaf pan is 6 to 7 inches (15–18 cm) away from the top heating element. Don’t get closer than 6 inches or the top may brown too fast.

Continue proofing for about 30 min. or until the dough has risen 75-80% of the pan height, if not let it proof for longer.

Remove the cover for proofing and put on the pan's cover.

Lower the oven temp to 415°F and bake for 25-30 min. 

When it’s done baking, drop the mold firmly 1–2 times on the work surface to allow the water vapors to escape from the bread. This keeps the shokupan from shrinking. Remove the lid.

Give a few thrusts and let the shokupan slide out of the mold onto a wire rack. After baking, do not wash your Japanese shokupan loaf pan. Simply wipe it off with a paper towel and store it completely dry to prevent rust.

Let the shokupan cool completely on the wire rack; it may take 2–3 hours. Do not cut or open the loaf while it’s hot; the steam will escape and the bread will lose moisture.