Match Tangzhong Bread
A light and fluffy bread enriched with the goodness of matcha.
Servings Prep Time
19-inch loaf 2hours
Cook Time
90minutes
Servings Prep Time
19-inch loaf 2hours
Cook Time
90minutes
Ingredients
For the Tangzhong
For the Dough
Instructions
Making the Tangzhong
  1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk flour into the water until completely dissolved and no lumps remain.
  2. Set the pan on the stove at medium heat and begin to stir as the mixture heats up. To avoid burning, stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Keep stirring until the mixture forms lines right on the path where you stir your spoon, till the mixture reaches approximately 65°C.
  3. Turn off the heat and take the mixture off the stove. Transfer immediately to a bowl and let cool to room temperature, or place in the fridge for up to 2 days if not using right away. Press clingfilm right on the surface to prevent the tangzhong from forming a skin.
Making the Bread
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, sugar and instant yeast. Make a well in the center, and then add in milk, egg, and tangzhong. Using a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients together briefly until shaggy dough is formed. Add in butter pieces, and then attach the bowl to the stand mixer.
  2. Knead the dough on medium speed for about 10 minutes or so, until the dough is smooth, not too sticky on the surface, and elastic. To check if the dough is ready, take the windowpane test. Take out the dough from the bowl and gently knead into a round by hand.
  3. Split the ball of dough into half and return one half into the mixer bowl, reattaching it to the stand mixer. The other half goes into a lightly greased large bowl to proof. To the dough in the mixer bowl, add matcha powder and continue kneading for about 2 minutes on medium speed or until matcha powder is thoroughly combined. Transfer this dough into another lightly greased bowl, cover with cling wrap or a towel, and let proof alongside the plain dough until doubled in size, about 60 minutes.
  4. Once both dough have completed their first rise, punch down and transfer to a clean surface. Working on the dough one at a time, knead briefly before dividing each of the two doughs into four equal portions. You should end up with 4 green and 4 white pieces of dough, or 8 pieces in total. Knead each portion into balls, cover with cling wrap once again, and let rest for 15 minutes to relax the gluten.
  5. Using a rolling pin, roll out each round of dough into an oval shape roughly 6 x 4-inches. Take one piece of rolled-out matcha dough and put on top of a rolled-out white dough. Run the rolling pin a few times on top of the stacked dough so that the two begin to stick together.
  6. Take one short end of the dough and fold just to the center of the oval, then take the other end and fold to meet the top. It will look like a folded letter. Flip dough over with the folds facing down and flatten with the rolling pin. Flip dough over again so the folds face upward then roll the dough up. Place the rolled-up dough into the bread pan. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
  7. Once all the rolled-up pieces of dough are in the loaf pan, place plastic wrap or a towel over the rolls. Let rise a second time until doubled in size, another 40 to 60 minutes.
  8. In a small bowl, beat an egg and add a scant teaspoon of water or milk for egg wash. Once dough has risen sufficiently, brush egg wash on top and sprinkle with some sesame seeds. Bake at 325°F (170°C) for 30 minutes, checking halfway if the bread is browning too fast on top. If this happens, tent your bread with aluminum foil.
  9. Let bread cool in pan briefly, then carefully and gently turn out on a wire rack. Slice through the bread with a sharp knife, making sure not to squash the loaf while doing so.
  10. Serve warm.