The only difference between this Tangzhong white bread recipe and the classic version is to substitute some parts of flour and liquid amount with Tangzhong. As mentioned in my Hokkaido Milk Bread recipe, Tangzhong is a water roux starter that is added in the breadmaking process to achieve a pillowy-soft and springy bread.
Simply make the Tangzhong, knead the bread dough with other ingredients together, and you’ll have a nice, fluffy Tangzhong white bread! To learn how I calculated the amount of Tangzhong for this recipe, visit this section here.
Table of contents
Ingredients for white bread (Tangzhong method)
- Bread flour: Use bread flour to achieve a bread with chewy and springy texture.
- Yeast: An important ingredient that aerates the bread dough to produce a light and airy texture.
- Salt: This acts as a flavour enhancer and helps strengthen the dough structure.
- Sugar: This adds sweetness to the bread and feeds the yeast so that the dough will puff up and rise.
- Milk: Milk contributes to the sweetness of the bread and yields a softer crumb.
- Tangzhong: A water roux starter that gives the bread an extra softness and fluffiness. It is made up of flour and water in a 1:5 ratio.
- Unsalted butter: This adds a buttery flavour to the bread and tenderises the bread dough to yield a spongy and fluffy crumb.
How to make white bread (Tangzhong method)
- Prepare Tangzhong in advance. Learn how to make Tangzhong here.
- Combine all the ingredients in a mixer bowl, except the butter.
- Using a dough hook, knead the dough in the kitchen machine until the dough begins to form a ball (about 8 minutes). Do a windowpane test (learn how to do a windowpane test here).
- Add in butter, then continue kneading for 10 minutes. Do a windowpane test again.
- Shape the dough into a ball and proof it for 1 hour (or until it doubles in size).
- Pat to release air bubbles.
- Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Fold each side to the centre, slightly flatten the dough, and fold the other two sides to the centre. Let them rest for 15 minutes.
- Roll each piece into a rectangular shape, then fold in the long sides to the centre. Flatten it with a rolling pin.
- From the top short end, roll up the dough. Use your fingers to flatten the other short end to seal the ends better.
- Place the dough pieces in a loaf pan of 20cm x 11cm x 11 cm, allowing some space in between. Proof for the 2nd time until they double in size (about 1 hour).
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Brush the loaf with egg wash and bake for 30-35 minutes in the oven.
Success tips for making Tangzhong white bread
Do windowpane tests before proofing.
I often perform a windowpane test twice before proofing the dough – one before adding in butter, and another one right before proofing. This is to check whether the dough is strong and elastic enough to hold the air bubbles as it rises. Simply pull out a small piece of dough and stretch it out gently.
For the first test (before adding in butter), the dough should be slightly elastic and have holes with rough edges as it tears apart.
For the second test, the dough should be much more elastic without tearing apart easily. The dough should have holes with smooth edges. If this is the case, it’s ready to rise.
Check if the dough is fully proofed before shaping.
The bread dough needs to be fully risen to produce a light and fluffy bread. An underproofed bread will be dense while an overproofed bread will be flat and deflated. To check whether the dough is well proofed, lightly flour your finger and dip a hole. The dough should spring back slowly and only half way. If the dough is underproofed, it’ll spring back right away; if the dough is overproofed, it will not spring back at all.
How long should I let the dough rise?
It took about 45 minutes to 1 hour for both fermentation in my kitchen, but depending on the temperature of your environment, the fermentation period will be shorter or longer. You should allow enough time for the dough to rise until doubled in size. Be sure to perform the test mentioned above to check if the dough is fully risen as well!
How long will the Tangzhong white bread last at room temperature?
With Tangzhong, the bread will stay soft and bouncy for longer days at room temperature, around 4-5 days. You can also chill the bread in the refrigerator. This will last for another 5 days.
Learn how to make white bread from scratch using Tangzhong method to enjoy a bread with extra softness! This recipe is simple and straightforward, and will amaze you with its incredibly soft, chewy, and fluffy texture.
More bread recipes
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White Bread (Tangzhong Method)
Equipment
- 1 Kitchen machine
- 1 Electronic scale
- 1 Dough scraper
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Silicone baking mat
- 1 Bread loaf pan (L20cm x W11cm x H11cm)
Ingredients
For the Tangzhong
- 25 g bread flour
- 125 g water
For the bread dough
- 325 g bread flour
- 30 g sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp yeast
- 135 ml milk
- 120 g Tangzhong
- 30 g unsalted butter
For the egg wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- In a mixer bowl, combine bread flour, sugar, salt, yeast, milk, and Tangzhong, leaving the unsalted butter for later use.
- Knead the dough at a low speed to gently mix the ingredients for 15-30 seconds.
- Gradually raise the speed, then knead for 5-8 minutes.
- When the dough begins to form a ball, do a windowpane test (see Note 1).
- Add in butter. Continue kneading for 10-12 minutes.
- Do a windowpane test again (see Note 2).
- Take out the dough from the mixer bowl and shape it into a ball. Place it back into the mixer bowl, cover it with cloth or cling film and proof until double in size (about 1 hour) at room temperature.
- Take out the dough and check if it has properly proofed (see Note 3).
- Pat the dough to release air bubbles.
- Divide the dough in half and work on one piece at a time.
- Flatten the dough and shape it into a rectangle.
- Fold each side into the centre. Rotate the folded dough, gently flatten, and fold the other two sides.
- Let them rest for 15 minutes.
- Roll the dough into a rectangular shape. On the longer side, fold each side into the centre. Roll the dough to flatten it.
- Starting from the short side, roll up the rectangular dough into a cylinder shape. Pinch to seal the seams and the ends.
- Repeat for the other piece.
- Place the loaves into a loaf pan. Let them proof for a 2nd time until double in size (about 1 hour).
- Brush the loaves with egg wash.
- Bake for 30-35 mins in a preheated oven at 180°C.
Notes
- For the 1st windowpane test, the dough should be quite rough and tough, and tears apart easily. The holes should have rough edges.
- For the 2nd windowpane test, the dough should be easily stretched out without breaking it. The holes should have smooth edges. If this is the case, the dough is ready to rise.
- To check whether the dough has properly proofed, dip your finger with some flour and make a dent in the dough. If it bounces back slowly and only half way, this means it is ready for shaping.