Baking bread, for us, is an activity that birngs us joy, happiness and nostalgia at the same time. It takes us back to moments in our lives of being arpund family together laughing and having a good time, but it also reminds us that there are days that will never come again.

Bread, something so common and present in pretty much each and every culture around the world. Bread goes beyond mere nutrition due to its history and contemporary relevance. For us, in our oven, bread always has a special place, no matter if it is a sweet or savory bread, traditional or with a modern touch, every bread that comes out of the oven is made with all the love and dedication from our part.

When we want to relax and have a blank mind, we make bread. There’s something about concentrating so hard on the recipe to get it right. Plus it doesn’t hurt to see how wonderfully the dough takes shape. We love they way a dough firms up and smoothes out. You can even take it as a life lesson, because the dough adapts to its circumstances, it is flexible to the movements and kneading and, most importantly, a good dough never breaks apart.

These particular milk buns have a special place in our hearts. They are fluffy, have a tender texture and a mild, slightly sweet flavor that make them perfect to combine with jams, nutella or even a good coffee or tea, just like that on their own.

What really sets milk bread apart is its ability to combine the best of soft and fluffy breads. Unlike traditional breads, which tend to be denser and more neutral in flavor, milk bread has an airy, moist crumb, thanks to its mix of ingredients and its fermentation process. Milk, as the main ingredient, not only adds sweetness, but also softness and richness, that makes this bread almost melt in your mouth.

If you like this recipe, you have to check out our blueberry and lemon sweet rolls, a recipe that also uses tangzhong and is delicious!

Milk buns

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 19 minutes mins

Resting Time: 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs 4 minutes mins

Servings: 8

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

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For the tangzhong:

• 1/2 C (4 fl oz) (120 ml) whole milk
• 2 tbsp (0.56 oz) (16 gr) wheat flour, for bread (with 13-14% gluten)

For the dough:

• 1/2 C (4 fl oz) (120 ml) whole milk, lukewarm
• 2 1/4 tsp (0.25 oz) (7 gr) dry active yeast
• 1 tbsp (0.53 oz) (15 gr) honey
• 5 tbsp (2.65 oz) (75 gr) white sugar
• 2 tbsp (0.53 oz) (15 gr) milk powder
• 1 egg, big
• 2 1/2 C (11.50 oz) (325 gr) wheat flour, for bread (with 13-14% gluten)
• 1 1/4 tsp (0.22 oz) (6.2 gr) salt
• 1/4 C (1.98 oz) (56 gr) unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the finish:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp (0.50 fl oz) (15 ml) whole milk
• Unsalted butter, melted (enough quantity fro brushing the buns prior to baking)

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Equipment

• 1 Rectangular baking pan with high walls

Method

 

For the tangzhong:

1. In a small saucepan (off the heat) add the milk with the flour and mix with a spoon until smooth.
2. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and cook the mixture, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, for 3-4 minutes until slightly thicker.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the mixture in a small bowl and cover with plastic kitchen wrap and let it cool down completely and prevent a crust from forming on top.

For the dough:

1. In a large bowl place the milk with the yeast and honey. Mix with a spoon and let it stand for 15 minutes for the yeast to activate.
2. Then add all the tangzhong, sugar, milk powder, egg and mix again with the same spoon.
3. Add in the flour with the salt and mix with the same spoon or with your hands until a sticky dough forms. Place the dough on the clean kitchen countertop and knead by beating and folding it over itself for 10 minutes until it is firmer.
4. Add the butter and knead for another 10 minutes until all the butter is incorporated and the dough is smooth and elastic. It is important not to add more flour as the kneading is what will shape the dough (the whole kneading process can also be done in a standing mixer with the dough hook on).
5. Once ready, form the dough into a ball and place it in a clean bowl with a little oil to prevent it from sticking. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 1 1/2 hours to double in size.
6. Grease with a little butter or line a large rectangular baking pan. Once the dough has doubled in size, place it on a clean, floured surface and divide it into 8 equal parts of approximately 95 grams each.
7. Take a portion of dough and shape it into a ball by inserting your fingertips under it. Then, take the ball of dough with all the fingers of one hand and turn it over by making firm circular movements with your hand. Place the ball in the baking pan and cover with plastic wrap so that it does not dry out. Repeat the same process with the remaining pieces of dough and place the dough balls in the baking pan not so far apart from each other so that they come together slightly during baking.
8. Cover the pan with plastic kitchen wrap or a kitchen towel and let the buns rise again for 1 1/2 hours until they double in size.
9. Preheat the oven to 190° C. Once the buns have doubled in size, brush them with a mixture of egg yolk and milk using a kitchen brush and bake for 16-18 minutes until lightly golden brown.
10. Once ready, take them out of the oven, brush them with the melted butter and let them cool down for at least 10 minutes before eating. They keep perfectly at room temperature in a tightly closed plastic bag for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!