Japanese Milk Bread Rolls made with a Bread Machine
These homemade rolls are everything you could want in a dinner roll: light, airy, flavorful, and versatile. Plus, thanks to a Tangzhong-inspired modification, they stay fresh for 2-3 days with no preservatives
Measure ½ cup cool milk--whole, 2%, or nonfat into a 2-cup microwave-safe measuring cup or Pyrex bowl. Whisk in 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour. Cook on High in a microwave for 45-60 seconds (microwaves vary), whisking every 15 seconds until thickened like pudding.
Dough:
Add ½ cup cool milk to the Tangzhong paste from above and whisk energetically. It's OK if there are still some lumps. They will disappear in the mixing process. Add to the bread machine pan.
Add 1 large egg , 1 tablespoon heavy cream OR one egg yolk, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1¼ teaspoon table or sea salt , 4 tablespoons cold butter, chopped, 2¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour , and 2 teaspoons bread machine or instant yeast to the pan. Select the DOUGH cycle. Press "Start."
Open the lid and check to ensure the paddles are engaged and the dough starts clumping.
Recheck 12-15 minutes later to ensure the dough is the correct consistency. It should stick to the side, then pull away cleanly.If the dough is too dry, it may thump against the side of the pan or ride around freely on top of the post. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too wet, impossibly sticky, and won't pull away from the sides, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Give the dough time to absorb the flour or milk between each addition.Find out more about this surprising secret to success with a bread machine here.
When the dough cycle finishes, check to see if the dough has risen to double its original size. If so, remove it to a floured surface. If not, allow the dough to remain in the machine until it has doubled in size. Remove the dough from the pan onto a lightly floured surface.
Shaping and Baking the Rolls:
Divide dough in half. Form each half into a neat ball, flouring the surface you are working on as needed to prevent sticking.
Use a rolling pin to roll one dough ball into a 13 x 9 rectangle. Coat with half of 2 tablespoons softened butter (28 gr). (The butter is optional: I skip this step with the butter because the rolls hold together better as they rise.) Divide into four equally-sized strips longways, then divide each strip in half shortways. You should have 8 total strips. Roll each strip starting from either of the short ends.
Place eight rolls into a greased 8-inch pan. Repeat step two with the other half of the dough and another tablespoon of soft butter. Cover with a tea towel or cheap shower cap and set aside to rise again until almost double. This will take an hour, plus or minus, depending on the room temperature.
Preheat your oven to 375 °F (190˚C) when the rolls are almost ready. Bake rolls on the middle shelf of your oven for 15-17 minutes or until nicely browned and the internal temperature reaches 190˚F (88˚C).
Remove from the oven and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. Turn rolls out onto a cooling rack for another 10-15 minutes. Brush all over with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. (If you leave rolls in the pan too long after baking, they will sweat and become soggy on the bottom.)
Notes
Directions for making bread with a stand mixer or by hand:
To make this recipe in a heavy-duty stand mixer: Add ingredients to the bowl in the same order. Turn on LOW to mix until all ingredients are moistened. Then, using a dough hook, turn the speed to 2 or 3. Continue beating/kneading until dough becomes smooth and elastic (about 5-10 minutes). Cover and allow to rise in a warm place. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
If making by hand: Combine all ingredients into a shaggy ball in a large bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead with your hands until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. This will likely take 10-20 minutes, depending on your experience. Place the dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until double. Deflate the dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
Please note: You can substitute active dry yeast. Dissolving it first is optional. Active dry yeast tends to rise slower in the beginning but will catch up eventually.
Variation: Make whole wheat Japanese Milk Bread Rolls by substituting 1 cup of whole wheat flour for 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Everything else remains the same.