Soft and Fluffy Taro Swirl Milk Bread (Shokupan)

Formerly known as Shokupan in Japan, this bread loaf is also commonly referred to as Japanese milk bread. It is one of the fluffiest, softest and most tender bread you’ll come across. It’s the perfect white bread – feathery enough to eat on its own but also perfect for toasting and using it in sandwiches.

The idea of a simple white bread might sound basic — but what makes this loaf so special is the extra fluffy and soft texture that stays soft longer because of the way it’s made. I decided to jazz my loaf up with a taro swirl, which really elevated it!

What is the Tangzhong Method?

The Tangzhong method is responsible for the extra fluffy and soft texture of milk bread (shokupan). Flour and water are gently warmed and cooked over the stove until it becomes a starter roux with the consistency of thick paste. This cooking process activates the gluten in the flour and lends to the soft and fluffy texture. Increasing the temperature of the roux causes the proteins in the flour to gelatinize, leading to increased moisture retention in the loaf while it is baking. This high moisture content is what gives milk bread it’s signature light and fluffy texture.

The method is part of a traditional method of making milk bread in Japan developed in Japan and has since become popularized by Yvonne Chen.

Another reason this milk bread recipe lends to a light and soft texture is using milk as the only liquid ingredient. Dairy has always been used to add tenderness and flavor to all baked recipes — buttermilk pancakes and sour cream coffee cake just to name a couple. So it’s no surprise that this shokupan recipe will also be incorporating plenty of milk to add richness to the loaf.  

Lastly, I decided to jazz up this loaf by giving it a taro swirl just like the ones I see at Asian bakeries. I’ll explain the bread shaping process below!

How to Make Milk Bread (Shokupan)

If you are familiar with bread making, most of the following steps will sound familiar. The only additional steps are related to the tangzhong method at the very beginning:

• Put milk and a small amount of flour in a saucepan pan. Whisk until they are combined and no lumps remain.
• Warm the flour mixture gently until it thickens into a paste, stirring constantly. Then set aside to cool (this is the tangzhong).
• Measure out remaining ingredients (flour, yeast, milk, melted butter, sugar, salt and egg) and add the cooled tangzhong. Mix all the ingredients until they form a ball of dough, then knead, either in mixer or by hand. If using a mixer, make sure you start slow and work your way up to around speed 6 for a solid 10-15 minutes.
• Once the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, transfer to an oiled bowl and let it rise until doubled. This should take 60-90 minutes depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
• Punch down the dough and roll it into a large rectangle, approximately 9×13.
• Spread homemade taro paste (or store bought) over the entire rectangle. Starting on the longer side, gently roll the dough into a log as if you would a cinnamon roll. Cut a slit down the middle of the log with a sharp knife as if you’re shaping a babka. You don’t need to cut the entire log in half – just the middle section. You should see the layers of the taro filling.
• Twist one end of the log through the middle slit 3-4 times to create the twists, and then fold the twist in half (onto itself) to fit into a 9×5 loaf pan.
• Cover and leave to rise again until puffy then brush with egg wash.
• Bake for approx 30 minutes at 350F until golden brown, or until the internal temperature is at least 190F. Turn onto a cooling rack to cool.

Bread shaping can be hard to describe in words, but I’ll include the video I used to reference the shaping which really helped me.

You don’t have to twist the dough like I did. Traditionally, milk bread is baked plain. The dough is separated into three pieces that are each folded into an envelope and rolled before being placed in a loaf pan. But you can also shape filled buns or small rolls with the same recipe.

Tips For Successful Milk Bread (Shokupan)

Shokupan dough is much softer and higher hydration than other bread doughs. This means it might be more sticky as you’re kneading it. I would encourage you to make sure you’re kneading it as aggressively as possible before adding more flour. If you do add more flour, do so one tablespoon at a time and make sure to knead the dough at speed 6 for 2-3 minutes before increasing the flour. To know when your dough is done kneading, make sure it passes the window pane test.

Measure your ingredients with a scale in order to get accurate measurements. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this mistake in the past!

Doughs need an environment of at least 70F to proof properly. If your kitchen happens to be cold, you can try putting your dough in the oven to proof. Some ovens have a proof setting where they are able to lightly warm the oven. I would only use this method if you know that your oven doesn’t go above 90F in this setting – you don’t want your dough to start baking on accident!

Like all breads, once fully baked, you should wait until it’s fully cooled before slicing into this taro milk bread. I know how hard this is! But trust me — when bread is fresh out of the oven the proteins and glutens inside the loaf are still settling. Slicing into your loaf before its had a chance to cool and settle is equivalent to slicing into a perfectly grilled steak before it. has had a chance to rest.

Japanese milk bread might seem unassuming, but I promise you that once you try a slice, you’ll see why it’s so special. The fluffy texture is irresistible, and the milky flavor really lends itself to being paired with so many types of fillings to really make it your own.