Tangzhong: the quick and easy path to softer, more tender dinner rolls, sandwich loaves, and cinnamon buns.
Yvonne Chen
Making the Soft Asian Bread
Was searching for ways to make the soft Japanese bread and found this Tangzhong (湯種) method popularized by a Taiwanese cookbook author Yvonne Chen. King Arthur Baking have a few recipes and blog posts dedicated to this method.
The Basic Bread
On Friday I used the classic sandwich bread recipe from King Arthur Baking with the tangzhong technique. The bread came out so soft and fluffy we finished the first quarter before it was even cooled off. One issue was that I divided the dough into four parts and the loaf came out kind of flat. Next one I will do only three or two parts.
Raisins & craisins
So, we finished that one the next day. This time I will make one with raisins and craisins. Splitting the loaf into only two parts worked out much better. Need to remember to place the loaf evenly in the middle of the pan next time for it to rise evenly for the 2nd rise.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup (113g) milk or water
- 2/3 cup (152g) hot water, enough to make a soft, smooth dough
- 4 tablespoons (57g) melted butter or 1/4 cup (50g) vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons (8g) salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
Instructions
Edited based on my own procedure
- Dissolve the active dry yeast in 1/3 cup of warm water.
- Melt the butter in a toaster over.
- Tangzhong technique: Begin by taking 3 tablespoons of the measured flour and 1/2 cup of the measured water; put them in a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it thickens and forms a thick slurry; this will take about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer the cooked mixture to a bowl, let it cool to lukewarm.
- Mix the dry ingredients, flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Push the ingredients to form a crater in the center of the bowl.
- To make the dough: Pour the remaining water, yeast solution, melted butter and tangzhong into the crater. Mix the dry ingredient into the liquid starting from the center until the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough in the bowl or on a lightly greased surface for 10 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, place the bowl in a warm oven, and allow the dough to rise until puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours.
- Gently deflate the dough and transfer it to a lightly oiled work surface. Divide the dough in two halves and shape each half into a roll.
- Place the two rolls in a lightly greased loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 60 minutes. A finger pressed into the dough should leave a mark that rebounds slowly. Towards the end of the rise, preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes, until it’s light golden brown. Test it for doneness by removing it from the pan and thumping it on the bottom (it should sound hollow), or by measuring its interior temperature with a digital thermometer (it should register 190°F at the center of the loaf).
- Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a rack before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.