Have you ever gone to Japan and wondered what makes Japanese bread so soft, milky and pillowy?
Have you ever gone to Japan and wondered what makes Japanese bread so soft, milky and pillowy?
Their secret is “tangzhong,” which in Chinese means “water roux.”
Flour and water is mixed together to form a roux. Beause this mixture contains a substantial amount of water, when added to the dough for bread, it makes the bread extra moist.
In Taiwan, Yvonne Chen popularized the Japanese method of bread making in her book, “65 degrees C Tangzhong.” At cooking classes in Taiwan, the tangzhong method is taught to students when baking bread.
According to Chen, “tangzhong” is created when “a mixture of water and bread flour is heated (and stirred just until it forms a paste. Then, this paste is removed from the heat and allowed to cool, and added to the dough ingredients. When the water and flour first combine, the flour absorbs the liquid (hydration). Once heat is applied, the flour particles swell many times their original size and burst, releasing starch into the liquid. At that point, the mixture has gelatinized into a thick, slimy goo. The gelatinized flour can then be used as a dough enhancer to improve the moisture and texture in the final bread loaf — which also seems to prolong freshness. Japanese bread doesn’t get stale and hard (like French baguette) within a day of baking — it stays soft and fluffy for several days (if your bread even lasts that long).
If you have a bread maker, (this is the recommended way of kneading the dough because the dough is very wet and sticky and is hard to knead by hand), this is the recipe:
Japanese Milk Bread
2 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup tangzhong
Tangzhong:
1/3 cup bread flour
1 cup water
To make the tangzhong: Blend the flour and water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, constantly stirring with a whisk. As soon as the mixture thickens, and swirl lines appear, remove from heat and allow to cool. This is a double recipe. Save the remaining tangzhong in the refrigerator for up to three days.
To make bread: Mix the egg with milk, add to the bottom of the bread machine pan, and add the sugar, salt and butter, cut into pieces. Add 1/2 cup cooked tangzhong.
On top of the liquids, add the bread flour, make a well and put the yeast into the well. Do not allow the yeast to come into contact with the liquid ingredients in the bottom of the pan. Using the bread maker’s dough function, add dough to combine, knead and rise.
When dough is ready, divide into four even pieces.
Flatten each piece into an oval with a rolling pin. If you use flour to keep the dough from sticking, use only a little or your bread will become too dry and you will defeat the purpose of the tangzhong method.
Fold the long edges of the oval inward in thirds. Flip over, roll again to flatten, then flip back over. Roll the piece from the bottom up, the smooth side out, and set aside. Repeat with the remaining dough.
In a regular loaf pan, place the four rolls side by side, seam side down. Allow the dough to rise for another 30 minutes, until doubled. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 335 degrees.
Bake for 30 minutes, remove from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes. Remove the loaf to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
Foodie notes
• I made Portuguese bean soup for our annual Super Bowl party last Sunday and made a terrible mistake. I boiled the ham hocks and sliced Portuguese sausage the day before, and the day of the party the Portuguese sausage turned a dark color, although it didn’t affect the taste at all.
The sausage should be added in the last 30 minutes of cooking and not in the beginning with the ham hocks. Needless to say, I was anxious to ask Scott Stevenson, the president of Purity Foods, as soon as he walked in the door why it happened.
After some discussion as to the possible chemical reactions that could have occurred, our son, Dean, concluded the smoke from the skin of the ham hocks reacted with the sausage, turning it dark. Lesson learned: do not boil the Portuguese sausage with the ham hocks; instead add them later. They are, after all, already cooked, so they need to be added at the end, even with the carrots and potatoes.
• From Wednesday through Friday, Hawaii Community College’s Culinary Program’s Bamboo Hale is featuring the foods of the Caribbean, along with the American Standard menu. Call 934-2591 for reservations. The first-year students’ cafeteria also is open, with inexpensive hot meals. Please support Hawaii Community College.
• Mark your calendar for the fifth annual Chocolate Festival on Saturday, May 14, at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel. Details to follow.
Email me at audreywilson 808@gmail.com.