Japanese Milk Bread - Shokupan

Directions

The recipe requires a stand mixer.

1. Prepare the roux Add water and flour to a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until it turns into a gluey paste with the ideal temperature of between 155 and 175F. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
   
2. Mixing part 1 Add the milk into the stand mixer bowl and sprinkle with the yeast. Let sit for 2 minutes. Add flour and then the roux that has cooled to below 110F. Mix with the dough hook on the lowest speed until flour is fully incorporated. Continue mixing for another 3 minutes. The dough will come together into a ball.
3. Add the sugar and salt and continue to mix on lowest speed for 5 minutes. If needed scrape down the sides or remove the dough from the hook once or twice.
4. Cut the cold butter into small pieces and add to the dough. Mix on medium-low speed (#2 on a Kitchen-Aid) for 5 minutes, until the butter is no longer visible.
5. On a lightly floured work surface, turn out the dough. Stretch and fold several times forming a tight ball. Lightly flour the seam side and place seam side down into a bowl, cover and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in size about 2 hours.
6. Prepare your pullman loaf pan.
7. Stretch and fold the dough, pulling left and right at the same time, and folding, so that it is close to the width of our pan in a somewhat rectangular shape. It is similar to creating a “packet” with width of your pan.
8. Place the dough seam-side down into the pan, cover and let right for 1 ½ hours or until the dough rises to ¼ inch shy of the top of the bread pan cover.
9. About 30 minutes before baking preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃). Bake for 40 minutes, with the lid on the entire time.
10. Remove the pan with oven mitts; immediately and gently remove the loaf from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Do not cool in the pan or the crust may steam and collapse on itself.