When I get bored, I bake.

As a result, my family had an endless supply of freshly baked goods for the entirety of winter break.

This break, I decided to revisit my roots and make more Asian desserts. This recipe employs an Asian baking technique called the tangzhong method, where you make a roux out of water and flour and add it to your bread dough. The roux retains water and will keep the bread moist during the baking process. The flour in the roux is sealed away and will not develop gluten during the kneading process. As a result, the bread will have a soft, pillowy texture that stays fresh for a longer period of time.

This recipe is perfectly manageable without a bread machine. I’m just lazy.

Few things in life can compare to the sensation of warm, soft bread dough. Ain’t she a beaut?

To test if the dough has properly risen, dip a finger in flour and poke it into the dough. If the hole that your finger made keeps its shape, the dough has risen properly.

 I made the impulsive decision to spice things up with a bit of dark chocolate. Best decision ever.

You know what else would’ve been good? Nutella. Too bad I didn’t have any on hand.

Make sure to grease and line your pans wells so the milk bread slides out easily once it’s baked.

Apply egg wash for a glossy, golden brown finish.

These are best served while they’re still warm.

Ooey, gooey dark chocolate. Divine.

I like to keep my bread in a clean plastic grocery bag with a twist tie so that it doesn’t dry out. Make sure the bread is completely cooled so condensation doesn’t form on the inside of the bag.

Got stale bread after a few days? These make excellent french toast.

 

Dark Chocolate Hokkaido Milk Bread (北海道奶香麵包)

Prep Time: approx. 2.5 hours | Baking Time: 30-35 min | Makes 2 Loaves

Ingredients

Tangzhong (36 g flour and 180 g water)

540 g all-purpose flour

54 g milk

2 eggs

108 g melted unsalted butter

86 g white sugar

5 g salt

100 g dark chocolate chips, crushed with food processor (or whatever you fancy – milk, semisweet, bittersweet. If you have mini chocolate chips, you don’t need to use a food processor).

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon milk

Directions

1. To make tangzhong /roux: Whisk together flour and water in a pot or double boiler until thick, glossy and slightly translucent. Transfer into a bowl, cover, and keep in refrigerator until chilled.
2. For the dough:
   1. Bread machine: place all of the ingredients, minus the chocolate, in your device and use whatever “dough” setting it has. My machine kneaded the dough for 20 minutes and let it rise for an hour.
   2. Manual: place all of the ingredients, minus the chocolate, in a bowl. Mix until well combined, then knead for 10-15 minutes or until smooth and slightly elastic. Cover and place in a warm place for an hour or until dough has risen and doubled in size.
3. Uncover and remove the dough from the bowl. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in half.
4. Work with one half at a time. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough until it’s about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in thickness. Sprinkle on 1/2 of the chocolate, then gently roll up the dough, like a sleeping bag, until it forms a log. Divide each log into 3 portions and twist and knead each portion until the chocolate is well embedded and distributed. You should have 6 balls of dough by the end of this process.
5. Preheat oven to 170 C /338 F.
6. Grease and line the bottom of two loaf pans. Place 3 balls of dough into each loaf pan. Cover each pan with a damp paper towel and leave them in a warm place to rise for 40 minutes.
7.  Whisk together egg yolk and milk to make an egg wash. After the bread has risen, uncover and thoroughly brush each loaf with egg wash.
8. Place the pans in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly on the countertop before unmolding and serving.

S & A