This bread is an adapted milk bread recipe (shokupan) enriched just ever so slightly with more butter and milk so it’s halfway between something like a brioche.

Tangzhong

• 35 grams bread flour
• 110 ml whole milk

1. Whisk together the flour and milk in a small pot then place on the stove over medium low heat.
2. Stir constantly until the mixture reaches 150f/65c
3. Remove from the pot and place in a small bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature before adding into the dough below.

Dough

• 120 ml whole milk + more for brushing
• 7 grams active dry yeast
• 325 grams bread flour
• 60 grams sugar
• 1 egg
• 4 grams salt
• 98 grams unsalted butter + more for buttering dishes and bowls
• tangzhong (above)

1. Begin by taking half of your milk (1/4c/60ml) with a little bit of your sugar (lets say a tsp) and warming it to 115f/46c. Add to your mixing bowl and sprinkle over the yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes until foamy on top.
2. Combine your yeast, tangzhong, sugar, flour, egg, and salt. Mix in a kitchen aid on speed 2 for 3 minutes before adding the butter 1 tbsp at a time, waiting for it to incorporate before adding the next. Continue mixing for 15 minutes.
3. What you should be looking at is a smooth elastic dough that easily pulls away from the sides of the bowl. You can also take a small corner of dough and stretch it to see if you can make a “window pane”
4. Place in a buttered bowl and cover. Let it rise for 1 hour or until nearly doubled in size.
5. Butter up a cast iron pan or a baking dish, Preheat oven to 350f/176c
6. Knock out excess gas from your dough and shape into a ball. Use a bench scraper or a knife to cut 80 gram portions. Shape each portion into a small ball, try to make sure you create nice surface tension, and place in the prepared pan or dish. There should be enough for 10 rolls. Cover and let rise an additional 30 minutes, not quite doubled in size but more filled out and puffy.
7. Brush all over with milk and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 190f/87c and golden all over.
8. Let cool for 1 hour before serving.