Hokkaido Milk Bread

This is adapted from this recipe, with almost no changes. I've shaped this into dinner rolls with much success. Makes great sandwich bread (when fresh), and good french toast when stale.

Ingredients

Starter

• ¼ cup bread flour
• ¼ cup whole milk
• ¼ cup water

Dough

• 2 ½ cup bread flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tbsp dry milk powder OR sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cup milk (room temperature! ~75°)
• 1 egg (room temperature, beaten)
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• Heavy cream or melted butter

Instructions

1. Starter:
2. Pre-heat small saucepan
3. Add flour, milk, and water
4. Stir continuously for 4-5 minutes or until thickened to consistency of mashed potatoes
5. Transfer to bowl, cover with plastic wrap
6. Set aside until cooled to room temperature
7. In the bowl of a stand mixer mix flour, sugar, yeast, dry milk powder, and salt.
8. Add milk, starter, and beaten egg; beat on low for ~5 minutes
9. Add melted butter, continue beating 5 mninutes
10. Increase speed to medium, beat 5 more minutes
11. Transfer dough to oiled bowl, rise 1 hour or until doubled
12. Shape into 4 9x4" pans, as dinner rolls, or as desired
13. Cover and rise an additional 45 minutes
14. Preheat oven to 350°
15. Brush with heavy cream (or melted butter)
16. Bake 35-40 minutes until golden brown and 190° internal temperature
17. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan, then cool on rack

This bread is very soft and fluffy!