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Portuguese milk bread (with Asian starter)

The floofiest milk bread buns known to Man.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Resting Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine Japanese, Portuguese
Servings 9 buns

Equipment

  • Baking pan/tin
  • Glass or plastic bowl

Ingredients
  

  • 1 starter Tangzhong (see instructions below)
  • 500 g bread flour (all-purpose flour, type 500/550 or 0 flour)
  • 150 g pastry flour (also known as cake flour, type 400 or 00 flour)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 40 g sweetened condensed milk (1 oz)
  • 250 ml whole milk (1 cup)
  • 25 g granulated sugar (2 tbsp)
  • 25 g brown sugar (2 tbsp)
  • 10 g salt (2 tsp)
  • 40 g European-style butter (3.5 tbsp)
  • 14 g dry yeast (2 packages or 4.5 tsp)
  • 1 egg wash (1 egg and 3 tbsp milk whisked together)

Instructions
 

  • Tangzhong (starter)
    Ingredients:
    6 tablespoons (90g) water
    6 tablespoons (90g) whole milk
    5 tablespoons (35g) flour
    Place all three ingredients in a pot and cook for a few minutes on medium (to low) heat, stirring consistently, until it turns into an even, runny paste. Let cool.
  • In a bowl or large measuring cup, combine the whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, butter, sugars, salt, and two eggs. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and dry yeast.
  • Once your tangzhong has cooled, add it to the bowl with flour and yeast. Slowly pour in the wet ingredients, bit by bit, as you fold in the flour and then continue to lightly stir. Use either a wooden spoon, if you prefer manual labor (which I sometimes do), or a mixer with dough attachment on slowest or second slowest setting.
    You want to work this dough ever so slowly and gently. Now is the time to consider all those who have recently wronged you, how you have recently wronged others, and what a fucking colossal mess the world is. Take your time.
    When you're done, the dough should have an even, silky finish and still be a little tacky but not sticky.
  • Get a clean bowl, line it with a thin film of vegetable oil or butter, then scrape the dough into that bowl. Cover with cling film or a barely moist cotton kitchen towel and LET SIT in a warm place for AT LEAST ONE HOUR.
    I cannot stress this part enough. Proper proofing is paramount to all yeast doughs. Can you make it happen faster? Sure, find a spot that's warmer, but not too hot. Or you can prepare the dough in the evening and let it slow proof overnight in the fridge, if you have room. Either way, until that dough nearly doubles in size, it isn't ready.
  • Once it has nearly doubled in size, gently lay it out onto a floured surface and knead it lightly with a little more flour. When it's even, cut into nine or twelve relatively equal pieces, roll gently into balls, and place in a rectangular or round baking/cake pan lined with a baking sheet.
  • LET SIT FOR ONE MORE HOUR OR MORE UNTIL THE BUNS DOUBLE IN SIZE. When they've doubled, whisk the egg and milk for the egg wash in a bowl, and brush plenty of it over the proofed buns.
  • Turn the oven down to 180°C (360°F) and place the baking tray into the oven. Depending on your oven, the buns will be done in 20 to 30 minutes, or when golden brown on top.
Keyword bread, milk bread