Hokkaido Milky Buns and new Bread Technique

As you know I am always in search of new bread recipes and more new techniques and when I saw Angie’s recipe for Hokkaido Milky Buns, I knew immediately that I have to try this recipe and the new technique, which is called Tangzhong Starter, which is cooked roux starter.

The Tangzhong Starter is a mixture of one part flour and five part of water by weight, cooked for couple of minutes to bring out the gelatinization of the starch in flour. What makes the bread baked with this kind of starter difference is Starch Gelatinization, which helps to engage more water, namely more water will be absorbed, to provide characteristic softer, more elastic-textured bread. Moreover, the bread will have long-lasting freshness.

Tangzhong Starter - Angie's Recipe here

50 g Bread flour

250 ml Water

In a bowl, whisk together the water and the flour until the mixture is well blended and lump free. Stir the mixture while it cooks over the medium heat to reach 65C/150F. It takes about 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat and cover loosely with plastic wrap to prevent from drying. Store the starter in the refrigerator after completely cooling down. To use the starter, measure out the amount called for in a recipe and let it warm to room temperature. Unlike sourdough starter, this special Tangzhong starter doesn't improve its flavour with age. So it's preferably to use up in 3 days.

Hokkaido Milky Buns or Loaf

300 g All-purpose flour 50 g Rye flour 30 g Milk powder 120 g Tangzhong-Water Roux Starter 55 g White sugar 14 g Fresh yeast or three teaspoons dry yeast

5 g Salt or one tsp 1 Egg 30 g Milk 50 g Crème Fraiche/or sour cream 30 g Soft butter, diced Preparation Place all other ingredients, except butter, in the mixing bowl with a dough hook and stir over the low speed until the ingredients incorporate. Adjust speed to medium and continue to beat. When a dough ball starts to form, cut in the butter. Low down the speed to knead until the butter has blended into the dough. Increase the speed to medium again and knead until the dough has become very smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball and transfer into a large greased mixing bowl. Roll it around so the dough gets coated with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or damp cloth. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough to release the gas produced during the proof and divide it into 3 even portions, each about 240 grams. Round up and let rest for 15 minutes. Press out the gas of each dough and roll out into an oval shape. Fold it into thirds, overlapping them in the center, press the dough down firmly. Turn over and roll out into a 30-cm long strip. Turn over and roll up each to a column shape. Or you can divide the dough into 12 portions and shape each into a ball. Place them in a 30x11x8-cm loaf pan. Let the dough rise up to 2/3 full. I turned the dough into 6 buns and rolled them like small baguettes and buns and double brushed the face with egg wash to give them a deep golden color. My note: preheat the oven at 450F and when its ready put the baking tray in and lower the heat to 350F , it’s a trick I learned it by myself, and it works great in anything you are baking… the bread will take around 30-35 minutes … All I can say, that I baked the bread around 11 pm last night, and I couldn’t resist the smell coming from the kitchen and I can hardly wait to have a bite of this bread. It was Hot, amazingly delicious, spongy with layers and layers of spongy dough, taste like a rich brioche … I truly encourage you to try this bread and this new technique, Still have half of the starter in the fridge and iam going to try another recipe with it.

Tangzhong Starter

I wish you can smell this bread

Source: http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/02/hokkaido-milky-loaf-buns.html

Thank you very much my friend for a great bread recipe... I am trying another one.