Fluffy Easy Milk Bread Loaf (No Tangzhong Needed)

Easy Milk Bread Loaf

Soft, fragrant, and incredibly fluffy, this milk bread loaf skips the tangzhong step but still delivers that classic Asian bakery texture—perfect for toast, sandwiches, or eating warm straight from the pan.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Proofing & Resting Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12 slices

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 500 g bread flour (about 3¾ cups)
• 40 g sugar (about 3 Tbsp)
• 1½ tsp instant yeast
• 225 g cold water (a little less than 1 cup)
• 115 g cold milk (½ cup)
• 9 g sea salt (1½ tsp)
• 25 g unsalted butter, softened slightly (about 1¾ Tbsp)

For the Pan & Finish

• Butter, for greasing the pan and brushing the top
• Flour, for lightly dusting the pan

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make the Dough

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine bread flour, sugar, instant yeast, cold water, and cold milk.
2. Knead on low speed just until a rough dough comes together.
3. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes (autolyse). This helps gluten development and shortens kneading time later.

2. Knead to Windowpane

4. Add the salt and knead on low speed for 1 minute.
5. Add the softened butter in pieces. Continue kneading until the dough passes the windowpane test: stretch a small piece gently between your fingers—it should stretch thin enough to let light through without tearing.
   • This usually takes about 7 minutes (6 minutes on low, then 1 minute on medium), but timing depends on your mixer.
6. Shape the dough into a ball by folding the edges underneath. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and proof in a warm place (around 82–90°F / 28–32°C) for about 1 hour, or until nearly doubled in size.

3. Divide and Pre-Shape

7. Gently turn the dough out onto a work surface and cut it (do not tear) into 3 equal pieces.
8. Shape each piece into a smooth ball. Cover with a damp towel or greased plastic wrap and rest for 15 minutes.

4. Roll and Shape the Logs

9. Working with one ball at a time, roll it into an oval. Starting from the short end, roll it up into a tight log.
10. Repeat with the other two pieces. Cover and rest another 15 minutes.
11. Rotate each log 90 degrees. Roll each into a long rectangle, then roll up again like a cinnamon roll so you get a tighter, layered shape.

5. Final Proof

12. Grease a 10 x 5 inch loaf pan and dust lightly with flour.
13. Place the three rolled pieces seam-side down in the pan.
14. Cover with greased plastic wrap and proof in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours, until the dough rises to about 80–90% of the pan height.

6. Bake

15. About 20 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Position the rack about one-third up from the bottom.
16. Bake the loaf for 30–35 minutes. After about 15 minutes, loosely tent with foil to prevent over-browning.
17. The bread is done when the top is a deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches about 190°F (87°C).

7. Finish and Cool

18. Remove the pan from the oven and gently drop it once on the counter from a couple of inches to help prevent shrinkage.
19. Immediately turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack.
20. Brush the top with melted butter and let cool about 15 minutes before slicing.

Pro Tips

• Use a kitchen scale for flour and liquids to avoid dry or dense bread.
• Start with cold water and milk; long kneading warms the dough, and keeping it cool helps maintain ideal dough temperature and texture.
• If the dough feels sticky while shaping, lightly flour the surface and dough, or chill it briefly (about 20 minutes in the fridge) before rolling again.
• For best freshness beyond one day, slice and freeze the bread; toast slices straight from the freezer when needed.

Nutrition Info

Approximate per slice (1 of 12):

Serving Size	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat	Fiber	Sugar
1 slice	189	6 g	35 g	3 g	1 g	4 g

Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are estimated using online tools and may vary based on your ingredients and preparation. Please consult a nutritionist for precise dietary advice.

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