Japanese Soft White Bread (Shokupan)

Step 1

Add bread flour in a bowl, pour the boiling water and mix well with spatula or spoon.

Step 2

Cling film and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Step 3

Use directly from the fridge.

Step 4

Put all ingredients (except butter) and including yudane dough (tear into pieces) into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix with paddle attachment for 2 minutes or until all incorporated.

Step 5

Change to hook attachment and knead for around 2 - 3minutes or until the dough comes together.

Step 6

Add in butter and continue kneading for another 8 - 10 minutes (approximately) or until the dough comes together, become elastic, smooth and reaches reasonable window pane stage. I noticed that it is harder to achieve a very thin window pane with Yudane method dough. It could be due to the gelatinization of its starch. It is fine if your window pane is not very thin as long as you have kneaded the dough long enough. During the whole kneading process, I stopped few times to scrape down the dough from the hook to be sure it is evenly kneaded and also to prevent the motor from overheating

Step 7

Let the dough rise in a warm place for 45 to 60 minutes or until double in size in a large greased bowl, covered with cling film or kitchen towel.

Step 8

Punch down the dough to release the air. Transfer the dough to a clean floured surface then divide into 3 equal portions.

Step 9

Form each portion into a ball.

Step 10

Flatten with rolling pin.

Step 11

Roll the dough like a swiss roll into a log.

Step 12

Flatten the log with rolling pin as shown.

Step 13

Roll up the dough again like a swiss roll until a small log is formed.

Step 14

Place all the dough in the prepared loaf pan.

Step 15

Let the dough rise for 30 - 45 minutes or till 90% of the size, slightly below the rim of the pan.

Step 16

Cover the pan with lid, then preheat oven at 190C (top & bottom heat) or 170C (fan-forced) for 10 - 15 minutes.

Step 17

After 10 to 15 minutes after preheating oven, bake for 25 - 40 minutes or until golden brown. Open the lid after 25 minutes to check. Remove from oven if already golden brown or bake for another 5 - 10 minutes more without lid accordingly to your oven. With this new loaf pan (Chefmade Carbon Steel Loaf Pan), the baking time has been reduced compared with my previous baked.

Step 18

Remove bread from oven and the pan, let it cool completely on rack before slicing