These soft and pillowy pull-apart milk bread rolls rely on a smart trick called tangzhong to help them stay fresh for longer—if they last that long.
Growing up, milk bread was simply bread or ppang in Korean. It was our family’s everyday bread that we ate in all forms: rolls, filled with sweet black beans, vanilla custard, and whipped cream, and loaves sliced for sandwiches. I considered all other store- or bakery-bought breads fancy.
That speaks to the ease of making these milk bread rolls. The ingredients are dumped into a stand mixer, which then does all the hard work. You do have to make tangzhong—the secret to lasting softness—but that’s simply boiling flour and milk into a paste. Don’t be surprised if your family asks for these rolls for every dinner.
What Is Milk Bread?
Milk bread, known as shokupan in Japan, is a super soft and airy everyday bread. It has a milky not-too-sweet flavor and a feathery texture that tears into wispy strands when pulled apart. It’s considered an enriched dough—rich with eggs, butter, and milk. Unlike challah, brioche, and babka, milk bread is enriched with mostly milk and not too many eggs or too much butter. This gives it a delicate crust and a creamy flavor.
What Is Tangzhong?
Think of tangzhong as a dough improver. It’s a Chinese technique where flour and a liquid—I use milk, but water works too—are cooked to create a paste that is added to the dough. It helps the bread stay tender and fresher for longer. It won’t dry out as quickly as most breads, if it lasts at all.
Not all milk bread recipes require tangzhong; this one does. Sometimes a similar method called yudane is used. It’s a Japanese technique that calls for mixing flour with a hot liquid. In both cases, the purpose is the same: the starch in the flour swells and traps in moisture. All this means is that the bread can retain its moisture for longer.
Please continue to the next page (>) for the full list of ingredients and complete cooking instructions. Enjoy this meal!
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