This is classic soft milk bread (also called Japanese milk bread / shokupan / Hokkaido milk bread). It has a fine, cloud-like white crumb, thin golden crust, and stays soft for days — exactly matching the steaming loaf shown.
Soft Milk Bread (1 large loaf)
Tangzhong (the secret to the soft texture)
- 25 g bread flour
- 120 ml whole milk
Dough
- All of the cooled tangzhong
- 280–300 ml warm whole milk (about 40 °C / 105 °F)
- 7 g instant yeast (2¼ tsp)
- 40 g sugar (3 Tbsp)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 45 g unsalted butter, softened
- 450 g bread flour (plus 1–2 Tbsp extra if needed)
- 8 g salt (1¼ tsp)
- Optional but recommended: 15 g milk powder (for extra richness and softness)
Method
- Make the tangzhong
Whisk the 25 g flour and 120 ml milk in a small saucepan until smooth. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a smooth paste (about 3–5 minutes). It should reach roughly 65 °C / 150 °F. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature. - Make the dough
In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the warm milk, yeast, and a pinch of the sugar. Let sit 5 minutes.
Add the remaining sugar, egg, softened butter, cooled tangzhong, flour, salt, and milk powder (if using).
Knead 10–12 minutes (dough hook on medium speed, or by hand) until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but pulls away cleanly from the sides. It should pass the windowpane test (stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through without tearing). - First rise
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1–1½ hours until doubled in size. - Shape
Gently punch down the dough. For the classic tall look:- Divide into 3 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece into a rectangle, then tightly into a log.
- Place the three logs side-by-side in a greased 23 × 13 cm (9 × 5 inch) loaf pan.
- Second rise
Cover and let rise 45–70 minutes until the dough has risen about 2–3 cm above the rim of the pan. - Bake
Preheat oven to 180 °C / 350 °F.
Optional: brush the top lightly with milk or an egg wash for a shinier crust.
Bake 35–42 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 93–96 °C (195–205 °F). If it browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the last 10–15 minutes. - Cool
Immediately turn the loaf out onto a wire rack. Let it cool for at least 1–2 hours before slicing. The steam will continue to rise for a while, just like in your photo.
Tips for the exact result in the photo
- Bread flour gives the best structure and softness.
- Don’t skip the tangzhong — it is what creates the signature fluffy, moist crumb.
- Cool completely before cutting for clean slices.
- The bread stays soft for 3–4 days at room temperature (store in a bag or airtight container).
This is the correct recipe that produces the soft, plain white milk bread shown in your image. Enjoy!
