Heritage Grain Shokupan (Japanese Milk Bread)
Best with: White Sonora Wheat and Turkey Red Wheat or Amber Eden Wheat
Yudane is a simple Japanese-style bread method that transforms a soft enriched dough into something especially tender, fluffy, and long-lasting. By pouring boiling water over a portion of the flour before mixing the final dough, you create a cooked flour paste that helps the finished bread stay moist while giving it a delicate, pillowy texture. In this recipe, that technique pairs beautifully with the character of heritage grains like Turkey Red or Amber Eden and the gentle sweetness of White Sonora for a loaf or roll that feels both comforting and elevated.
Adapted from a recipe shared by our partner flour mill, Ethos Stone Mill, this dough is also wonderfully flexible. You can mix, shape, and bake it all in one day, or let it rest overnight in the refrigerator for even more flexibility and flavor. Whether you bake it into a sandwich loaf or soft dinner rolls, this yudane dough offers a lovely balance of richness, softness, and heritage grain depth.
Ingredients
Yudane
Shokupan Loaf
4 tbsp (36 g) Turkey Red Wheat flour
1 cup (210 g) water
Final Dough
2 (100 g) eggs
1 cup (240 g) whole milk
2 tbsp (34 g) sourdough starter
2 ¼ cup (310 g) bread flour
⅔ cup (90 g) Turkey Red Wheat flour
Shokupan Cinnamon Rolls
2 cups (265 g) White Sonora Wheat flour
2 tbsp (20 g) nonfat dry milk powder
¼ cup + 2 tsp (70 g) sugar
4 ½ tsp (14 g) instant yeast
3 tsp (14 g) kosher salt
¼ cup (100 g) butter, softened
Method
Prepare the yudane before measuring the remaining dough ingredients. Bring the water to a boil, then slowly whisk it into the flour until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Set aside and let cool completely.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cooled yudane, milk, sourdough starter, and eggs until fully combined.
Add the remaining dry ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Pour in the yudane mixture and mix on low speed until the dough comes together. Increase to medium speed and mix until the dough begins to develop, then add the softened butter a little at a time. Continue mixing until the dough is smooth, elastic, and well developed.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1- 1 ½ hours, or until puffy. For a slower timeline, you can refrigerate the dough overnight and continue with shaping the next day.
Shape the dough as desired and place it into a greased loaf pan or onto a sheet pan if making rolls. Cover and let proof in a warm place for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the dough slowly springs back when gently pressed and a light indentation remains.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 to 40 minutes for a loaf or 12 to 15 minutes for rolls, until golden brown.
Notes
This is a flexible dough that can fit your baking schedule. Mix, shape, and bake it all in one day, or refrigerate the dough overnight after mixing or after shaping and bake the following day.
You can also subsitute the Turkey Red Wheat with Amber Eden Wheat.
Discover how the right home mill can help you enjoy fresher, more flavorful flour at home by checking out our blog post to find the best one to buy for your kitchen.
