Hokkaido Milk Bread Rolls

Hokkaido Milk Bread Rolls are super soft and fluffy Japanese-style dinner rolls. They are so ethereal in texture, and stay fresh and soft for days.

Hokkaido milk bread rolls, or Japanese milk buns, are made with a Tangzhong, a roux of flour and water cooked in a saucepan to 65 degrees C, or 149 degrees F.

When the roux reaches 149 degrees F, the flour gelatinizes, which helps it hold moisture to produce an amazingly soft and fluffy dough that stays fresh over time.

I've been playing around with the Tangzhong method ever since I started baking bread. While my first love might be rustic sourdough, my second love is definitely Japanese-style fluffy bread. The shaping technique is very fun, whether you are making a traditional pan loaf or these checkerboard dinner rolls.

More Japanese-style bread using a tangzhong:

Tangzhong Whole Wheat Bread

Tangzhong Whole Wheat and Rye Bread

Sourdough Hokkaido Milk Bread with Tangzhong

Sourdough Pumpkin Milk Bread

How to make these Japanese-style Hokkaido milk bread rolls:

First, you will need to make the tangzhong. In a small saucepan, whisk together 1/3 cup of bread flour with a cup of water until the mixture is completely smooth. Next, cook the mixture until it reaches 149 degrees F. You can use a candy thermometer (affiliate link) or an instant read thermometer. It will kind of resemble pudding in texture.

Set the tangzhong aside to cool. You can cover the top with plastic wrap, pressing it against the top of the mixture and refrigerate it overnight, or up to a day or two. 

Next, mix the final dough. Combine flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. In another bowl, whisk together an egg, some low fat milk, and about half of the tangzhong. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix with the dough hook for about 20 minutes, until the dough is super elastic. (P.S. Those are my blueberry cinnamon rolls cooling in the background on the right.)

Once you've kneaded the dough, form it into a ball, place it in an oiled bowl, and let it rise until it has doubled. This should take about 40 minutes. 

Next, divide the dough into nine equal pieces, form each piece into a ball, cover the dough balls with oiled plastic wrap, and let them rest for 15 minutes. 

At this point, you can shape the rolls for baking. 

How to shape milk bread rolls:

Step One: Roll the dough ball out into a flat oblong shape. 

Step Two: Fold the oblong into thirds like an envelope. Next, turn the dough over and roll it out one more time with a rolling pin. Flip it over so that the folded side is face up. 

Step Three: Roll the dough lengthwise into a snail-like coil. 

Step Four: Stretch the top dough over the folds to form a ball. Repeat with all of the dough balls. 

Place the balls in 9 inch round cake pan, cover with oiled plastic wrap, and let rise until puffy, about 45 to 60 minutes. 

Once the rolls have doubled, bake them in a 330 degree F oven for about 30 minutes, until golden brown.

Here's the thing about these rolls. They really grew in the oven! The oven spring in this dough is pretty amazing.

I couldn't believe how high these rolls rose!  I was pretty much shocked. They were actually more like mini loaves!

It was pretty crazy how big these soft and fluffy rolls grew!

Hokkaido Milk Bread Roll Variations: 

After making this dough into 8 rolls and proofing them in a 9 inch round cake pan, I decided to try to make the dough into 12 rolls in a 9 inch by 13 inch cake pan.

I ended up with a pan full of gorgeous dinner rolls, which we promptly devoured. While they were not nearly as huge as the ones baked in the cake pan, they were just as fluffy and delicious.

You can also make this dough into one loaf of bread by following these shaping instructions.

One of the nicest things about these rolls is that they stay fresh for quite awhile. You can serve them for dinner by wrapping them in foil and reheating them in a 350 degree F oven for 15 minutes.

They are also wonderful for making sliders, kind of like Hawaiian rolls, but less sweet.

I love dipping them in gravy (or mashed potatoes and gravy)!

Hokkaido Milk Bread Rolls

These Japanese milk bread rolls are so fluffy and light. They are just like the bread you can find in an Asian bakery, only better, because you made these yourself.

Hokkaido Milk Bread Rolls

Yield: 12 rolls

Author: Karen Kerr

Hokkaido Milk Bread Rolls are super soft and fluffy Japanese-style dinner rolls. They are so ethereal in texture, and stay fresh and soft for days.

ingredients:

For the Tangzhong

• 1/3 cup (1 2/3 ounces/50 grams) bread flour
• 1 cup water

For the Final Dough

• 2 1/2 cups (12.5 ounces) bread flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup low fat milk
• 150 grams (5 1/4 ounces) of the tangzhong
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and pounded with a rolling pin until softened

For the Egg Wash

• 1 large egg, plus a pinch of salt, whisked together

instructions:

How to cook Hokkaido Milk Bread Rolls

To Make the Tangzhong

1. Mix the flour and water in a saucepan together until there aren't any lumps.
2. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and registers 149 degrees F or 65 degrees C. If you don't have a thermometer (get one!), look for lines in the mixture made by your spoon as your stir. Remove from the heat immediately.
3. Scrape the mixture into a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it onto the surface of the tangzhong. Let it cool. You can refrigerate it if you want to, or use it immediately once it has cooled.
4. Bring it back to room temperature when you are ready to use it.

To Make the Rolls

1. Whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. 
2. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and tangzhong. Add the mixture to the flour mixture. 
3. With the dough hook, mix the ingredients on low until the dough comes together. Add the butter, one piece at a time, and mix on medium speed. 
4. Once the butter has been incorporated, mix the dough on medium high for 18 to 20 minutes. The dough should be elastic. 
5. Form the dough into a ball and place it into an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes. 
6. Divide the dough into 9 (or 12, depending on how large you want your rolls) equal pieces. Knead each piece of dough into balls. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes. 
7. When ready to shape, roll each piece of dough into an oval. Fold one end of the dough over the middle, and fold the other end over the top (See photo in post). 
8. Turn the dough over and roll the dough over again with a rolling pin to flatten, lengthwise. 
9. Roll the dough up in a coil lengthwise like a snail. 
10. Spread the top dough over the folds to form a ball. Seal the dough at the bottom.
11. Place the dough balls, seam side down, in a greased and parchment lined 9 inch round cake pan (if you've made 9 rolls) or a greased and parchment lined 9 inch by 13 inch cake pan (if you've made 12 rolls). Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 40 to 60 minutes. In the meantime, heat the oven to 330 degrees F. 
12. When the rolls are ready to bake, brush with the egg wash. Bake them in the oven for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden brown. 
13. Remove the rolls from the pan and cool on a wire rack. 

Calories
79.62

Fat (grams)
3.95

Sat. Fat (grams)
2.14

Carbs (grams)
8.28

Fiber (grams)
0.32

Net carbs
7.96

Sugar (grams)
1.29

Protein (grams)
2.69

Sodium (milligrams)
116.20

Cholesterol (grams)
39.14

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2020/01/hokkaido-milk-bread-rolls.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

tangzhong, milk bread, dinner rolls

Bread

Japanese

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @KarensKitchenStories on instagram and hashtag it #KarensKitchenStories

Created using The Recipes Generator

This recipe was adapted from Kirbie's Craving. Adapted from Christine's Recipes.