Hokkaido Milk Bread using the Thermomix

I wouldn't say I am an expert when it comes to baking. I am still on my learning journey and constantly experimenting with recipes. I have been experimenting with various Hokkaido bread recipes and finally found the best combination taht works with my Thermomix. Why do I use the Thermomix? It mixes ingredients whether wet or dry up nicely and has an in built dough kneading function. Since I need to cook the tang zhong starter, using the Thermomix makes it more convenient since I cook the tang zhong then make the dough in the same mixing bowl - without the need to have different utensils to wash. Yes. Like everybody else, I really do hate the washing up after cooking something. 

My kids love bakery Hokkaido bread so this has been top on my list of bakes to conquer as I really hate watching my kids eat anything that is not produced from my kitchen...  Ok. I am not a control freak - but the idea of preservatives, shortening which is commonly used in commercial bread do make me a little paranoid.

This recipe is quite forgiving, thus, its okay to over or under the required quantity slightly (note my quantities have a range sometimes).

I have experimented the best way to knead a good loaf of soft bread that rivals bakeries - without the use of any conditioners.

 

Ingredients

Bread

• 250g bread flour (may mix up to half with AP flour for extra softness but note the dough will be softer)
• 20g spelt or rye or WW
• 40g raw sugar
• 4g himalayan pink salt
• 5g full cream milk power（I use Bellamy's organic)
• 4g instant dried yeast (or less but longer proving time if you prefer to use less commercial yeast)
• 45-50g whisked egg (min 30% fat)
• 30g whipping cream
• 25g Hokkaido milk (or any full cream fresh milk)
• 100g tangzhong 
• 25g room temperature butter cut into cubes

Tangzhong

• 20gm bread flour
• 100ml fresh milk

Directions

1. Freeze all wet ingredients ahead of the bake until they solidify in the freezer
2. Freeze the dry ingredients at the same time (purpose is to get all ingredients chilled for mixing)
3. Place tangzhong ingredients into the saucepan or TM bowl and cook 3 min/80°C/speed 3. Leave in the saucepan/Thermomix bowl until cooled to room temperature (or stick it into the fridge to cool down when the bowl is cooler to speed up cooling down process)
4. Add 3/4 of the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl (except the butter. Always add the fat last when baking bread) 
5. Add the dry ingredients 
6. Select dough mode and knead for 4min. 
7. Rest
8. Knead for another 4 minutes while drizzling remaining liquid ingredients
9. Add salt halfway through slowly when the dough is coming off clean from the sides of the mixing bowl. Add remaining liquid ingredients
10. Rest
11. Add butter and knead for another 3-4 minutes (in a conventional mixer, you may need at least 20-30minutes of kneading)
12. The dough should be very smooth, shiny and stretchy
13. It will be sticky and wet
14. Remove from the mixing bowl and set on a counter top
15. Slap and fold a few times
16. Place into a greased container to rest
17. Punch down when it has doubled (about 1 hour) and place on a mat with some AP flour
18. Stretch the dough until it resembles a large flatten pizza dough, then start folding the dough 
19.  Divide the dough, fold and shape and place them inside a bread tin
20. Let it double in size again (again, I will leave the dough inside the oven for another hour or so at 37 degree)
21. Egg wash the surface with a milk and egg mixture of equal proportion
22. Heat up your oven to 200 degree (use a thermometer to ensure correct temperature)
23. Reduce to 180 degree before placing the bread tin into the oven
24. Spray the bread's surface with water
25. Bake for about 30 minutes or until it turns brown
26. Remove from the oven and transfer onto a wire rack to let it cool completely before you store it in an airtight container
27. You can store in the fridge as well if you intend to eat the loaf for a few days. Spray with some water before reheating will ensure soft bread
28. This portion fits a 450g bread tin nicely and lasts us one day (I like to feed my kids fresh bread)
29. You can make more dough and store in the fridge, just return to room temperature and let it double in size before baking

Variations

• Add a sachet of green tea powder and 30-50g of white chocolate during the last kneading
• Add milo or Ovaltine powder 50g with the rest of the dry ingredients
• Add 10g of ground toasted barley for better taste (remove 10g of overall flour)
• Add some raisins and walnuts
• Top with almond cream prior to baking for a really tasty crust (see photo of usual hokkaido bread with green tea powder and white chocolate topped with almond cream below)

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