VEGAN SHOKUPAN
DAIRY-FREE JAPANESE MILKBREAD
食パン (OR VEGAN PAIN DE MIE)
FROM THE SAVOURY BREADS CHAPTER
OF THE VEGAN BAKER
Acclaimed by both my parents as the ‘best loaf in the world’,
this dairy-free milkbread recipe is impossibly soft and errs a little on the sweeter side. You may also know this style of bread as ‘pain de mie’ which is a french term that means ‘bread of the crumb’ and refers to sweet and soft white bread just like this recipe produces. It’s perfect for sandwiches such as the iconic Japanese katsu sando (feast your eyes on this version I made with plant based garlic kievs inside), or French toast. This recipe fills one small pullman-style bread tin (the signature way this style of bread is baked), but will also go great in any bread tin.
Add the simple but effective yudane method to your baking repertoire by making this, the best plant based japanese milkbread recipe ever.
So what makes it so special?
Shokupan (食パン) dough relies on Asian baking techniques where a portion of the flour is super-hydrated with hot water (which flour can absorb more efficiently than cool water) before mixing in other ingredients. This leads to a longer shelf-life, better rising and a sweeter bread. The popular Chinese tangzhong method makes a roux in a saucepan with the flour, but I prefer the original Japanese yudane (湯種/ゆだね - pronounced yoo-dah-neh) method, which uses a higher portion of the flour (about 20 per cent), with boiling water simply stirred through.
Do I need special equipment?
For this recipe, you’ll definitely need a stand mixer or a processor with a dough hook attachment. The unique crumb of this dough relies on heavy kneading, so you won’t be able to do it by hand. You may also like to invest in a pullman tin, which comes with a lid that helps trap steam and leads to a perfectly squared loaf. This shape is a signature part of what shokupan so iconic. This isn’t necessary though, and you’ll still love your loaf if you bake it in a classic bread tin. But once you fall in love, definitely consider investing in a pullman style tin for your kitchen.
What if I’m on a roll?
You can make this dough into eight, even round rolls instead. Bake for 25–30 minutes at 180°C (350°F), then go wild by brushing the rolls with vegan butter as they leave the oven.
What else can I make with this dough?
This recipe has been adapted from The Vegan Baker cookbook, which you can order directly from me, signed, right now! In there, you’ll also find it used to make fennel stuffed dinner rolls topped with everything bagel seasoning, or a wild looking sausage ppang (which is a Korean style of a hot dog stuffed bun).
Makes 1 perfectly fluffy loaf.
Vegan Shokupan
Ingredients
- 75 g (23⁄4 oz) bread flour
- 100 ml (31⁄2 fl oz) boiling water
- 180 ml (6 fl oz) plant- based milk
- 30 g (1 oz) granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoons plant- based milk powder (optional)
- 9 g (2 3⁄4 teaspoons) instant dried yeast
- 300 g (10 1⁄2 oz) bread flour, plus extra for brushing
- 2 1⁄2 teaspoons fine salt
- 25 g (1 oz) vegan butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
Instructions
- To prepare the yudane, measure the flour into a small bowl, then stir through the boiling water until completely combined into a stiff mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for at least 2 hours before proceeding – ideally overnight in the fridge for best results.
- To make the dough, add the milk, sugar, milk powder, if using, yeast and flour to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Begin kneading on medium speed for 16–20 minutes. Tear off small pieces of the yudane and gradually add it to the dough as it is being kneaded, until all the yudane has been incorporated. Add the salt, then the butter, teaspoon by teaspoon, and continue to knead.
- When the dough passes the windowpane test, cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm spot for 1–2 hours, until doubled in size.
- Lightly grease a 23 cm × 4 cm (9 in × 1 1⁄2 in) pullman baking tin. On a lightly floured workbench, roll the dough into a rectangle the same length as the bread tin. Tightly roll the dough into a cylinder, then place in the baking tin, seam side down. Allow to rise for another 1 hour, until the dough doubles in size again.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Put the lid on the bread tin and bake the loaf for 30–35 minutes. Liberate the loaf from the tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- While the bread is still hot, brush some vegan butter over the surface for an extra shiny loaf. Cool fully before slicing. Thanks to the yudane method, your loaf should keep fresh for up to 1 week in an airtight environment. Get your copy of the The Vegan Baker cookbook for more in-depth explanations on the windowpane method, delightful vegan bakes and dough recipes using the clever yudane method that makes this bread so impossibly soft.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
160.18Fat
1.26 gSat. Fat
0.28 gCarbs
31.73 gFiber
1.51 gNet carbs
30.22 gSugar
3.42 gProtein
5.03 gSodium
608.3 mgCholesterol
0 mg
Another loaf of Vegan Japanese Milkbread or Dairy-Free Shokupan, photographed for The Vegan Baker cookbook by Emily Weaving.