Savory

🍞✨ Shokupan — Soft & Fluffy Japanese Milk Bread Recipe!

Soft, fluffy, and slightly chewy — Shokupan is the beloved Japanese milk bread that has become the base of iconic dessert toast topped with ice cream and sweet sauces.

On a warm sunny day, nothing beats freshly baked Shokupan toasted and paired with a scoop of ice cream. Pure happiness! 😋💛

Today, Chef M is sharing the step-by-step recipe along with key baking tips so you can make this delicious bread at home.

Shokupan uses the Yudane technique, where flour is combined with boiling water in a 1:1 ratio to create a dough paste. This process enhances moisture retention and creates a soft texture with beautiful gluten strands when torn apart.

Ingredients

Yudane Dough
UFM Bread Flour (White Swan) — 100 g
Boiling water — 100 g

Main Dough
Prepared Yudane dough
UFM Bread Flour (White Swan) — 250 g
UFM Cake Flour (Fan Brand) — 150 g
Eagle Instant Yeast (Gold) — 10 g
Milk powder — 20 g
Sugar — 65 g
Salt — 10 g
Fresh milk — 160 g
Eggs — 2 (size M/L)
Butter — 100 g

Instructions

Making the Yudane
Boil the water and pour it into the flour. Mix until fully combined.
Allow the mixture to cool, then refrigerate for 3–4 hours.

Making the Shokupan Dough
Remove the Yudane from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, combine bread flour, milk powder, sugar, salt, and yeast.
Add eggs and milk, and mix until combined.
Add butter and the Yudane paste, then knead until smooth and elastic.
Rest the dough for 40 minutes, then divide into portions and shape into balls. Rest for 15 minutes.
Roll out each piece and shape into logs. Rest another 15 minutes.
Roll again and place into a loaf pan.
Let the dough proof until doubled in size.
Bake at 200°C for 25–30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove from the pan and let cool before slicing.