Shokupan (Japanese White Bread)

Step 1

FOR THE YUDANE: Mix flour and boiling water in bowl of stand mixer to form rough but uniform dough. When dough is cool enough to handle, lightly grease your hands and tear yudane into approximate 1-inch pieces.

Step 2

FOR THE DOUGH: Add milk to yudane in mixer bowl and stir to combine (mixture will remain lumpy). Add flour and yeast. Fit mixer with dough hook and mix on low speed until all flour is moistened, 1 to 2 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Add sugar and salt and mix on medium-low speed for 10 minutes, scraping down bowl and dough hook halfway through mixing. With mixer running, add butter. Continue to mix on medium-low speed, scraping down bowl and dough hook if necessary, until dough clears sides of bowl, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer dough to lightly oiled counter. Knead briefly to form ball and transfer, seam side down, to lightly greased bowl; cover and let rise until almost doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Step 4

Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Shape portions into balls and place seam side down on counter. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

Step 5

Lightly oil counter, your hands, and rolling pin. Turn 1 dough ball seam side up on counter and press and pat to 5-inch square. Using rolling pin, roll into 7-inch square, taking care to press out all air bubbles (stretch dough into shape with your hands, using tackiness of dough to hold it in shape). Fold dough lengthwise into thirds to form 7-inch strip. Roll into 9 by 3-inch strip. Starting on short side, roll dough to form snug cylinder and pinch seam to seal. Place seam side down on counter. Repeat with remaining dough balls.

Step 6

Spray 13 by 4 by 4-inch Pullman pan and lid with vegetable oil spray. Place 1 dough cylinder seam side down in 1 end of prepared pan with spirals facing long sides of pan. Repeat with remaining dough cylinders, spacing cylinders evenly in pan. Slide lid into place, leaving last inch of dough exposed to monitor rise. Cover gap with plastic wrap. Let rise until dough is ½ inch from top edge of pan, 1 to 1¼ hours.

Step 7

Remove plastic and slide lid closed. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. (Loaf will continue to rise while oven heats.) Bake until bread registers 195 to 200 degrees, 30 to 35 minutes.

Step 8

Remove lid and invert bread onto wire rack. Reinvert loaf. Let cool completely, at least 3 hours. Slice with serrated bread knife, sawing gently and using very little downward pressure. Serve. (Loaf can be wrapped and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)