Inn at Ormsby Hill Japanese Milk Bread

From THE INN AT ORMSBY HILL

Prep Time:

2 hours 30 minutes

Cooking Time:

20 minutes

Yield:

8

For the Roux:
1/3 cup flour
1 cup milk

Dough:
1 cup warm milk
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
4 tablespoons extra fine sugar (you can substitute granulated)
5 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons non-fat dry milk powder
3 large eggs (one is for an egg wash after the loaves are shaped)
4 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter

Method


Make the roux:
Whisk together the flour and milk in a small sauce pan over medium low heat until the mixture thickens to a runny, paste-like consistency. Do not let it boil or it will become too thick. Remove from heat. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface to prevent a skin from forming while cooling. Let cool to room temperature.

Make the dough:
In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the warm milk, yeast, and sugar. 

In a stand mixer bowl or bread machine, combine the flour, salt, and powdered milk. 

Add two eggs to the yeast mixture, whisk to combine. Add the cooled roux, and whisk until smooth. Pour over the flour mixture. 

If using a bread machine, or a stand mixer with a dough hook, or kneading by hand, add the room temperature butter after the ingredients have combined, but are not yet ball shaped. 

If using a bread machine to knead and bake, this will make a 2 lb loaf. You can just use the dough setting, and shape into mini loaves after the first rising. 

If using your hands, or a dough hook, knead until dough is a firm ball shape. Put dough in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and let rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size. 

Form the Bread: 
For 8 mini loaves, cut the dough in half, and each half in quarters to get 8 even sized pieces. Roll each piece gently with a rolling pin until it is approximately 10" long and 5" wide (a couple rolls with the pin). Starting from the top, roll the dough toward you like a jelly roll. Put the rolled up dough into a greased mini loaf pan. Repeat with the other pieces of dough. Place the mini loaf pans on a cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise in a warm spot for an additional 45 minutes. 

Lightly beat the remaining egg with a fork, and brush it on the tops of the loaves. 

Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 20 minutes, or until the tops are brown and shiny. 

For 2 large loaves, follow instructions above, fitting 4 mini rolls of dough sideways into each greased loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes, or until brown and shiny on top. 

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup warm milk
  • 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 4 tablespoons extra fine sugar (you can substitute granulated)
  • 5 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 4 tablespoons non-fat dry milk powder
  • 3 large eggs (one is for an egg wash after the loaves are shaped)
  • 4 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter
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