Shokupan Recipe: Fluffy Japanese Milk Bread at Home
Shokupan (Japanese milk bread) Prep: 40 mins | Cook: 35 mins | Total: 1 hrs 15 mins | Serves: Makes 1 loaf | Cuisine: Japanese Golden, pillow-soft slices of Shokupan are about to become your new favorite way to eat bread. This isn’t just any loaf—it’s the kind that melts on your tongue with a buttery richness, thanks to a little magic called yukone. That silky paste, made by cooking flour and water into a thick, glossy paste before folding it into the dough, is what gives Shokupan its signature cloud-like crumb. No fancy techniques or intimidating steps, just a straightforward method that rewards patience with something irresistibly light and tender. You’ll start with just a few key players: bread flour for structure, a whisper of sugar to balance the yeast, and whole milk for that subtle sweetness. The yukone itself calls for a small scoop of the flour—just 20g—but it’s the difference be...