Recipe by Sawako, Fait Beau Tokyo
Shokupan’s softness comes from a balance of fat, hydration, and patient gluten development. The dough starts simply but transforms as it’s kneaded, shifting from sticky to beautifully elastic. Folded, rolled, and baked snugly in the pan, the loaves pull apart with a thin, almost paper-like sheet that is a signature of this bread.
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Shokupan
Servings 2 small loaves
250 grams bread flour20 grams sugar5 grams salt3 grams instant yeast85 grams water80 grams milk20 grams double cream15 grams butter
Put all the ingredients except the butter into the bowl of stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Mix on low speed until dough becomes strong and gluten has developed, 40 to 45 minutes. [Dough should pass the windowpane test; see Notes.]
Add the butter and continue kneading until well combined.
Let it rise until doubled in size.
Remove the dough and gently press the top with your hand to release the gas. Divide into 2 equal portions (about 218 grams each), and shape each into a ball. Cover with a cloth and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Roll out each dough ball with a rolling pin into a rectangle, about 23x13cm (9×5 inches).
For each dough ball, fold in both sides (about one-fourth of the width) toward the center, then roll it up from one end [see photos below].
Place the two rolled doughs into the loaf pan, positioning them along the edges if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and proof at 35°C (95°F) for 45 to 60 minutes or until the dough rises to about 1.5cm (1/2 inch) below the top of the pan.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) for 30 minutes or until golden brown. After baking, take the pan out of the oven and firmly tap it on the table while still in the pan. This helps release the steam trapped inside the bread, preventing it from shrinking when you remove it from the pan.
Recipe Testing Notes
Bake from Scratch swapped a 7¾x3¾-inch loaf pan for 18x9cm loaf pan; Bob’s Red Mill Bread Flour for Japanese bread flour; and heavy whipping cream for double cream.
All ingredients should be room temperature.
For windowpane test, lightly flour hands and pinch off (don’t tear) a small piece of dough. Slowly pull the dough out from the center. If dough is ready, you’ll be able to stretch it until it’s thin and translucent like a windowpane. If dough tears, knead it for 1 minute more and test again.
Let dough rise covered, in a greased bowl, in a warm draft-free place (75°F/24°C).
Cover bread with foil during the final 10 to 15 minutes of baking to prevent excess browning if necessary.
Fait Beau Tokyo welcomes students from around the world. Classes are taught in English and Japanese, from beginner roll cakes to the coveted four-day Master Course. Follow her gentle, detail-driven baking on Instagram at @tokyobaking.
The post Shokupan first appeared on Bake from Scratch.
