Sourdough Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan)

Your 3-Day Plan

Day 1 Evening: Feed starter, make yudane (5 minutes)

Day 2 Morning: Mix dough, walk away 4 hours, fridge overnight (20 minutes active)

Day 3: Shape, wait 4-6 hours, bake, eat! (1 hour active)

Ingredients

Yudane (Optional but Recommended)

• 80g bread flour
• 64g boiling water

Main Dough

• 550g bread flour
• 165g whole milk
• 40g water
• 60g egg white (1 large egg)
• 74g sugar
• 10g salt
• 100g active sourdough starter (fed and at peak)
• 53g butter (room temperature)

Instructions

1. Make Yudane (Evening Before) Put 80g flour in a bowl. Pour 64g boiling water over it and mix immediately with a spoon until combined. It will look like thick paste. Cover and refrigerate overnight. This takes 5 minutes total.
2. Feed Your Starter 6-8 hours before mixing, feed 100g starter at 1:1:1 ratio (33g starter + 33g flour + 33g water). Use when it has doubled in size and is bubbly at peak.
3. Mix the Dough In your stand mixer bowl, add yudane (tear it into small pieces), flour, milk, water, egg white, sugar, salt, and active starter. Mix on speed 2 for 10-16 minutes until you can stretch the dough thin without it tearing (windowpane test). Don't add butter yet!
4. Add the Butter Add 53g room temperature butter to the dough. Mix on speed 2 for another 10-16 minutes until you can do the windowpane test again. The dough will look messy and broken at first—this is normal! Keep mixing until it comes together smooth and elastic.
5. Bulk Proof (Walk Away Time!) Shape dough into a smooth ball. Put in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or damp towel. Let rise at room temperature (74°F ideal) for 4 hours. If your kitchen is warmer, check at 3 hours. If cooler, it might take 5 hours.
6. Cold Proof Overnight Put the covered bowl straight into the fridge for 8 hours (overnight). The dough won't rise much in the cold—this is completely normal and expected! The cold fermentation develops flavor.
7. Shape the Rolls Take dough out of fridge. Divide into 6 equal pieces (about 180g each). Shape each into a ball, cover, rest 20 minutes. Roll each ball into a 4x6" rectangle, fold into thirds like a letter, cover, rest another 20 minutes. Finally, roll each piece into an 8x4" rectangle and roll up tightly like a cinnamon roll. Place seam-side down in a buttered 13x4x4" Pullman pan (or use an 8x4x4" loaf pan with 3 rolls for half recipe).
8. Final Proof (The Important One!) Cover and let rise at room temperature until the dough has grown 75-80% bigger (not quite doubled). This usually takes 4-6 hours. Don't rush this step! The dough should spring back slowly when you poke it. If it springs back fast, it needs more time.
9. Bake Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush tops with beaten egg for shine. Bake 35-40 minutes until deep golden brown (internal temp 190°F). Remove from pan immediately and cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. I know it's hard to wait!

Notes & Variations

• Half Recipe: Use an 8x4x4" loaf pan and make 3 rolls instead of 6
• No Stand Mixer? You can knead by hand but it will take 20-25 minutes of vigorous kneading
• Tangzhong vs Yudane: They're similar! Yudane is easier (just flour + boiling water). Tangzhong uses milk and requires cooking on the stove
• Storage: Keep in an airtight bag at room temp for 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months
• Pullman Pan: The tall 13x4x4" pan gives you that classic square shape. You can use a regular 9x5" loaf pan but the shape will be different