. bread Archives | Halicopter Away https://halicopteraway.com/tag/bread/ Tasting the world one recipe and travel guide at a time Wed, 25 Jun 2025 23:34:42 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.5 https://halicopteraway.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/cropped-helicopter-icon1-32x32.png bread Archives | Halicopter Away https://halicopteraway.com/tag/bread/ 32 32 171123213 Sourdough discard honey butter rolls https://halicopteraway.com/sourdough-discard-honey-butter-rolls/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sourdough-discard-honey-butter-rolls https://halicopteraway.com/sourdough-discard-honey-butter-rolls/#comments Mon, 20 Nov 2023 06:46:40 +0000 https://halicopteraway.com/?p=10353 These sourdough discard honey butter rolls are the perfect way to repurpose your leftover sourdough discard. The recipe uses sourdough discard and tangzhong to create the softest, pillowy rolls that are delicious with any meal! As an avid sourdough baker, I’ll usually have some leftover sourdough discard on my hand. I love using the discard …

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These sourdough discard honey butter rolls are the perfect way to repurpose your leftover sourdough discard. The recipe uses sourdough discard and tangzhong to create the softest, pillowy rolls that are delicious with any meal!

As an avid sourdough baker, I’ll usually have some leftover sourdough discard on my hand. I love using the discard to make non-leavened recipes like sourdough biscotti, or sourdough hand pies, but I also love adding sourdough discard into instant yeast recipe for extra tang and flavor. Adding discard into my favorite milk bread recipe creates a super soft and tender crumb, without the need for an extended proof like my fully sourdough-leavened milk bread.

Personally I think these bread rolls are a great addition to any holiday dinner – perfect for pairing with Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing! They’ve been my go-to potluck recipe and have been a big hit.

Why add sourdough discard to commercial-yeast leavened bread?

There are a few reasons why I love adding sourdough discard to any kind of bread recipe! First, it reduces waste and uses up my excess discard. Second, it adds a subtle sourdough flavor. Finally, discard provides some of the same probiotic benefits of natural yeast-leavened bread!

How active does the starter discard need to be?

This recipe is leavened using commercial yeast, so the starter does not need to be super active. However, depending on how active the starter is, you may have some varying results in your final product.

For a more mild sourdough flavor, I recommend using starter discard that has been fed recently. For a more sour and tangy flavor, you can use discard that has not been fed for a while. The longer starter goes without feeding, the more acidic it will become.

I would not recommend using starter discard that has not been fed in several weeks and has started developing hooch. At this point, I find that the acidity of the discard can affect the gluten development of the bread and make it more difficult to knead and leaven.

sourdough discard honey butter rolls

Can you use discard from your first feeding of your brand new starter?

Yes! Because the discard is not responsible for any leavening, discard from your first few feedings of your brand new starter will work great.

How to make sourdough discard rolls

These sourdough discard rolls come together much more quickly than traditional sourdough bread!

  1. Make the tangzhong by cooking flour, water, and milk together on the stove until it is a thick paste. Tangzhong helps make the bread super soft and helps it retain moisture over time.
  2. Bloom your instant yeast in warm milk and sugar. This helps make sure that your yeast is active
  3. Mix together bread flour, salt, tangzhong, sourdough discard, plus the yeast and milk mixture. Add the butter in pieces until its fully incorporated
  4. Knead the dough thoroughly, until it reaches window pane stage. I like to use my stand mixer during this stage, but you can also use the slap and fold method if you’re mixing by hand. It’s important to fully develop the gluten, as it helps create a bouncy, fluffy roll.
  5. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour
  6. Punch down and shape into rolls. Cover and let rise for another 45 min – 1 hour until doubled in size. I use the poke test to determine if the bread is done rising – I poke with my finger, and if the dent fills in partly, but not all the way it’s ready to bake. If it springs back quickly then the rolls need more proofing time.
  7. Bake for 18 minutes at 350F
  8. Brush with honey butter
single sourdough bread roll

What makes these the best sourdough discard rolls?

I brush these rolls with a citrus honey butter to really take them to the next level. The butter is easy to make – simply mix together melted butter, salt, honey, and orange zest. It’s the perfect sweet and salty combination, enhanced by the fragrance from the citrus zest.

For a savory version, you can heat up the butter on the stove and add chopped rosemary or garlic instead of the citrus zest.

Other sourdough discard recipes to love:

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soft sourdough honey butter rolls
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Sourdough discard honey butter rolls

These sourdough discard honey butter rolls are the perfect way to repurpose your leftover sourdough discard. The recipe uses sourdough discard and tangzhong to create the softest, pillowy rolls that are delicious with any meal!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword bread rolls, honey, sourdough discard
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Rest Time 2 hours
Servings 16 rolls

Equipment

  • 9 inch x 9 inch baking tin
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Skillet

Ingredients

Tangzhong

  • 3 tbsp (23g) bread flour
  • 1/4 cup (60g) water
  • 1/4 cup (60g) milk

Dough

  • 1/4 cup (60g) milk, lukewarm
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp (7g) active dry or instant yeast
  • 2 cups (265g) bread flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup tangzhong (see above)
  • 1/2 cup (120g) sourdough discard (100% hydration)
  • 1 egg
  • 4 tbsp (60g) unsalted butter, softened

Topping

  • 2 tbsp milk, for brushing before baking
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • zest of 1 orange

Instructions

Make tangzhong

  • In small skillet or pot, whisk together flour, milk, and water until smooth. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until mixture has thickened but is still pourable. It should take 5 – 10 minutes. Your whisk should leave a mark when dragged along the bottom of the pan.
  • Pour into a bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming, and allow to cool to room temperature.

Make dough

  • In a small bowl, combine the warm milk, 1 tsp of sugar, and yeast. Stir and set aside for a few minutes until the yeast is frothy and active
  • In a large bowl, mix together the bread flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Add the sourdough discard, egg, and milk and yeast mixture, and tangzhong. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook attach, mix on low speed until just combined
  • While the stand mixer is running on low, add the softened butter piece by piece, until fully incorporated. Knead on medium – high speed for 10 – 15 minutes until the dough is smooth and passes the window pane test
  • Shape the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour
  • Grease or line a 9in x 9in baking tin. Punch down the dough and turn out onto a floured countertop. Divide into 16 equal pieces (about 43g each, if you want to be very precise). Shape each piece into a roll by gently pinching together the ends of the dough and rolling on the countertop into a ball. Place the rolls in the baking tin and cover. Let rise until puffy and doubled in size, about 45 minutes
  • Towards the end of the second proof, preheat the oven to 350F. Brush the tops of the rolls with milk, then place in the preheated oven on the middle rack and bake for 18 minutes until the tops are golden brown and make a hollow noise when tapped

Make the honey butter

  • While the rolls are baking, mix together melted butter, salt, honey, and citrus zest. Brush on top of the warm rolls and serve

Notes

  1. If you have a food scale, I strongly recommend using the weight measurements for this recipe as sourdough discard volume can vary depending on its activity
  2. Some other flavor ideas for the honey butter, if you don’t want to add citrus zest:
    1. For honey garlic rolls, add 1 clove of minced garlic plus 1/2 tsp of italian seasoning. I like to cook this in the butter over the stove to help release flavor
    2. For honey rosemary rolls, add 1 tsp of chopped rosemary
  3. If you want to make a version without sourdough discard, please use my Japanese milk bread dough as a base and then add the honey butter

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Pumpkin milk bread rolls https://halicopteraway.com/pumpkin-milk-bread-rolls/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pumpkin-milk-bread-rolls https://halicopteraway.com/pumpkin-milk-bread-rolls/#comments Fri, 15 Sep 2023 16:40:50 +0000 https://halicopteraway.com/?p=9947 These pumpkin milk bread rolls take a classic milk bread recipe and add pumpkin puree for the perfect fluffy fall bread rolls. They’re shaped to look like miniature pumpkins so they’ll be the cutest rolls at your Thanksgiving dinner! Pair them with homemade maple cinnamon butter for the perfect fall treat. Bread rolls are the …

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These pumpkin milk bread rolls take a classic milk bread recipe and add pumpkin puree for the perfect fluffy fall bread rolls. They’re shaped to look like miniature pumpkins so they’ll be the cutest rolls at your Thanksgiving dinner! Pair them with homemade maple cinnamon butter for the perfect fall treat.

Bread rolls are the subtle star of any holiday dinner. The perfect roll is fluffy, soft, and perfect paired with sweet or savory dishes. Bonus points if they look cute and garner you compliments on their charming appearance.

These pumpkin milk bread rolls do all that and more – they’re made with my favorite milk bread recipe, but modified to add pumpkin puree for some extra fall flavor.

tray of pumpkin bread rolls

How to make pumpkin milk bread

This pumpkin milk bread has a number of ingredients that make it super soft and fluffy –

  • Tangzhong – Tangzhong is a roux made from cooking flour and liquid together, and it helps make bread extra soft and fluffy, with a longer shelf life.
  • Bread flour – This recipe calls for bread flour to give the rolls an amazing fluffy rise. I would not recommend substituting all purpose flour for this recipe. The dough is fairly wet and slack, and bread flour helps absorb more moisture.
  • Milk – Milk adds moisture and flavor. I typically use 2% milk when baking, but whole milk, skim milk, or milk substitutes should all work
  • Yeast – You can use either instant yeast or active dry yeast for this recipe, since it blooms and activates the yeast in milk. Make sure your yeast is relatively fresh
  • Granulated sugar – a quarter cup of sugar adds a subtle sweetness. If you would like more of a savory roll, you can reduce the sugar to 2 tbsp
  • Salt – Salt adds flavor and helps strengthen the gluten in the dough. Don’t skip it!
  • Pumpkin puree – Pumpkin puree adds flavor, moisture, and beautiful orange color. Make sure to use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
  • Egg – Egg helps bind the dough together
  • Butter – softened butter adds flavor and helps create a smooth and silky dough
basket of pumpkin bread rolls

Tips for making pumpkin milk bread

If this is your first time making bread, I recommend reading my guide to enriched bread. Here are tips to help you make some delicious rolls:

  • With the pumpkin puree, milk, butter, and egg, the dough is can be quite wet and slack when you mix together the ingredients. I recommend using a stand mixer. If you want to make this by hand, it’s definitely possible but will take more time and effort. I recommend letting the dough rest for 20 – 30 minutes to absorb moisture before kneading by hand. I also recommend using the slap and fold method and having a lot of patience.
  • Make sure to knead until the dough reaches a strong window pane. For me, this is 15 – 20 minutes on medium-high speed on my stand mixer. The dough should no longer stick to your hands one it’s been properly kneaded. This step is important because it helps make the dough easier to shape into little pumpkin rolls
  • Be patient with the final proof. If the dough is underproofed, some of the pumpkin sections might bulge and tear. As a result, they’ll look less like pumpkins though they’ll still taste delicious. I use the poke test to see if my rolls are ready – I lightly cover my finger in flour, then firmly poke the roll. The dough should slowly rise up halfway to fill the indent. If it fills up quickly or all the way, give it more time.

How to shape the pumpkin bread rolls

This is definitely the most fun part of making pumpkin bread rolls! For this step, you’ll need butcher’s twine, which is an oven-safe string.

  1. Start by cutting a dozen pieces of string, each 2 feet long
  2. Dip each piece of string in oil, squeezing off the excess. Greasing the string makes them easier to peel off after baking
  3. Place the roll in the center of the string. Bring the two ends of the string up, then twist together around the roll, like you’re about to tie a bow. Shift the loose ends of string so that they’re at a 60 degree angle, then loop around the bottom of the roll. Repeat, and then loop back around the top of the bow and tie into a knot. The roll should be divided into 6 even sections by the string.
  4. Don’t squeeze the string too tightly around the roll, as it will expand as it proofs and bakes
  5. Snip off any extra string
step by step guide on how to shape pumpkin bread rolls

How to make maple cinnamon butter

A roll is not complete without the perfect side of butter, and this maple cinnamon butter is pure perfection. It comes together very easily – just mix together softened butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon. A couple of notes on the butter recipe:

  • Make sure that the butter is softened so that it blends well. You can put it back in the fridge to set up before serving.
  • I recommend using real maple syrup, as there is a notable different in flavor between real maple syrup and flavored corn syrup.
  • The recipe calls for 6 tbsp of butter so that you only need 1 stick of butter (8 tbsp) to make the dough and the butter together.

Other cozy fall bread recipes to try

If you make this recipe, please let me know! I always love to see what my readers are baking. You can comment below or tag me on Instagram @halicopteraway.

pumpkin milk bread rolls
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Pumpkin milk bread rolls

These pumpkin milk bread rolls take a classic milk bread recipe and add pumpkin puree for the perfect fluffy fall bread rolls. They're shaped to look like miniature pumpkins so they'll be the cutest rolls at your Thanksgiving dinner! Pair them with homemade maple cinnamon butter for the perfect fall treat.
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword bread rolls, milk bread, pumpkin
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes
Rest Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 12 rolls

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Baking sheet
  • Butcher's string (at least 24 feet)

Ingredients

Tangzhong

  • 3 tbsp (23g) bread flour
  • 1/4 cup (60g) water
  • 1/4 cup (60g) milk

Bread dough

  • 1/4 cup (60g) milk
  • 2 tsp (7g) instant or active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups (325g) bread flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (115g) canned pumpkin puree
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup tangzhong (see above)
  • 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tbsp milk or heavy cream, for brushing
  • 2 tbsp oil, for greasing
  • 12 almonds, for the pumpkin stems

Maple cinnamon butter

  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

Make the tangzhong

  • In small skillet or pot, whisk together flour, milk, and water until smooth. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until mixture has thickened but is still pourable. It should take 5 – 10 minutes. Your whisk should leave a mark when dragged along the bottom of the pan.
  • Pour into a bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming, and allow to cool to room temperature.

Make dough

  • Mix together yeast, warm milk, and sugar and set aside for 5 minutes. The milk should feel comfortably warm to the touch, but not hot, otherwise it will kill your yeast.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the flour, and salt. Add the pumpkin puree, egg, tangzhong, and milk mixture. If using a stand mixer, mix on medium speed using a dough hook attachment until the dough comes together.
  • Add the softened butter and mix on medium – high speed until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, and when the dough is smooth and passes the window pane test. This can take 15 – 20 minutes and at first the dough will be quite wet and slack.
  • Shape into a ball and place into a lightly greased mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 40 – 60 minutes until roughly doubled in size.

Assemble the rolls

  • Cut 12 pieces of butcher's twine, each 2 feet long. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
  • Punch down the dough and turn out onto a floured countertop. Divide into 12 equal pieces (61g each)
  • To shape the rolls, dip each piece of butcher's twine into oil, squeezing out any excess. Place the roll in the middle of the string, then bring up both ends and twist over the roll as though you are going to tie a bow. Angle the string, then wrap around the bottom of the roll and bring back up and around. The string should now divide the roll into 6 equal sections. Tie into a knot and cut off any extra ends. Do not tie the string tightly, as the rolls will expand Refer to the picture above for a visual aid
  • Place each roll on the baking sheet, space 2 inches apart. Let proof for another 30 minutes until puffy. Towards the end of the proof, preheat the oven to 350°F
  • Brush the tops of each roll with milk. Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 15 – 18 minutes until golden brown and they make a hollow noise when tapped
  • Remove from the oven and let cool until they're comfortable to touch. Gently peel off the string while the rolls are still warm
  • Press an almond into the center top of each roll to create the stem

Make the maple cinnamon butter

  • Add the softened butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon to a bowl. Mix together with a spatula until evenly combined

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Pumpkin spice latte rolls https://halicopteraway.com/pumpkin-spice-latte-rolls/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pumpkin-spice-latte-rolls https://halicopteraway.com/pumpkin-spice-latte-rolls/#respond Fri, 01 Sep 2023 17:35:55 +0000 https://halicopteraway.com/?p=9851 These soft and fluffy pumpkin spice latte rolls are made with pumpkin milk bread and filled with a spiced espresso filling. They’re the perfect cozy fall treat and brings the flavors of pumpkin spice lattes right into your kitchen! It’s time for fall baking and there’s nothing that screams “Fall” like these pumpkin spice latte …

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These soft and fluffy pumpkin spice latte rolls are made with pumpkin milk bread and filled with a spiced espresso filling. They’re the perfect cozy fall treat and brings the flavors of pumpkin spice lattes right into your kitchen!

It’s time for fall baking and there’s nothing that screams “Fall” like these pumpkin spice latte rolls. Inspired by classic cinnamon rolls and the (in)famous Pumpkin Spice Latte, these sweet and fluffy bread rolls combine the warmth of pumpkin, aromatic spices, and a dash of espresso. Top with whipped cream for even more of that latte experience!

single pumpkin spice roll

Tips for making pumpkin milk bread

The base of these rolls is a soft and fragrant pumpkin milk bread that uses pumpkin puree that create a soft, moist texture and beautiful color. Like my regular milk bread recipe, the base of these rolls also uses tangzhong to make the rolls extra soft.

The milk bread is an enriched bread – that is, it has butter, milk, and egg added. If you’re new to making enriched bread, I recommend reading my guide to enriched bread.

Here are some tips to make the best pumpkin milk bread:

  • Knead until the dough reaches a window pane stage – the dough is very soft and slack due to the extra moisture from the pumpkin puree. You can make it by hand, but I recommend using a stand mixer and kneading on medium high speed for at least 15 minutes. If you’re making by hand, get ready for a workout! I recommend using the slap and fold method to deal with the wet dough.
  • Use bread flour – because the dough has a high moisture content, I recommend using bread flour which will be easier to handle and give you a fluffier, fuller rise.
  • Add tangzhong the dough – Tangzhong involves creating a water-based roux by cooking a portion of the flour with liquid until it thickens. This gel-like mixture locks in moisture and creates a more stable gluten structure, leading to a fluffier, softer roll with a longer shelf life
tray of pumpkin spice rolls

How to make a pumpkin spice latte filling

The pumpkin latte filling is made from butter, brown sugar, spices, and instant espresso powder. Make sure your butter is softened and spreadable, then mix with the sugar, cinnamon, all-spice, cloves, ginger, and espresso powder.

If you don’t have cloves, ginger, or all-spice, you can substitute with a tsp of cinnamon. However, the rolls will taste less like pumpkin spice rolls, and more like pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

pumpkin spice latte roll on plate

How to assemble pumpkin spice latte rolls

  • Rolling Out the Dough – On a floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle of about ½ inch thickness and about 12 inches long and 10 inches wide.
  • Espresso Spice Sugar Layer – Use a spatula to evenly spread the filling along the dough. Make sure to get right up to the edges for even distribution.
  • The Perfect Roll – Gently roll the dough into a log, starting from one of the longer sides. Keep the roll tight
  • Clean Slices – Use a knife or thread / floss to cut the log into slices about 1 inch thick. I like to use floss because it creates even slices without squishing the layers

These rolls are the perfect fall treat! If you make this recipe, please let me know! I always love to see what my readers are baking. You can comment below or tag me on Instagram @halicopteraway.

pumpkin cinnamon rolls

Other pumpkin baking recipes:

pumpkin spice latte rolls
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Pumpkin spice latte rolls

These soft and fluffy pumpkin spice latte rolls are made with pumpkin milk bread and filled with a spiced espresso filling. They're the perfect cozy fall treat and brings the flavors of pumpkin spice lattes right into your kitchen!
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword coffee, milk bread, pumpkin
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rest Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 12 rolls

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • 9 inch round baking pan or 10 x 13 inch rectangular pan
  • Rolling Pin

Ingredients

Tangzhong

  • 2 tbsp (23g) bread flour
  • 1/4 cup (60g) water
  • 1/4 cup (60g) milk

Bread dough

  • 1/4 cup (60g) milk
  • 2 tsp (7g) instant or active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups (325g) bread flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (115g) canned pumpkin puree
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup tangzhong (see above)
  • 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tbsp milk or heavy cream, for brushing

Pumpkin spice coffee filling

  • 6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup (100g) light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp all spice
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
  • 1 tbsp instant espresso powder

Whipped cream (optional)

  • 1/2 cup (120g) heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar

Instructions

Make the tangzhong

  • In small skillet or pot, whisk together flour, milk, and water until smooth. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until mixture has thickened but is still pourable. It should take 5 – 10 minutes. Your whisk should leave a mark when dragged along the bottom of the pan.
  • Pour into a bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming, and allow to cool to room temperature.

Make dough

  • Mix together yeast, warm milk, and sugar and set aside for 5 minutes. The milk should feel comfortably warm to the touch, but not hot, otherwise it will kill your yeast.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the flour, and salt. Add the pumpkin puree, egg, tangzhong, and milk mixture. If using a stand mixer, mix on medium speed using a dough hook attachment until the dough comes together.
  • Add the softened butter and mix on medium – high speed until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, and when the dough is smooth and passes the window pane test. This can take 15 minutes and at first the dough will be quite wet and slack.
  • Shape into a ball and place into a lightly greased mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 40 – 60 minutes until roughly doubled in size.

Make the filling

  • Mix together the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, all spice, ginger, cloves, and instant espresso powder.

Assemble the rolls

  • Grease your baking pan and set aside
  • Punch down the dough and turn out onto a floured countertop. Roll into a 12 inch by 10 inch rectangle. Spread evenly with the filling, make sure to spread all the way to the edges
  • Roll tightly from the long side so that you have a 12 inch log. Cut into 12 pieces, each about 1 inch wide
  • Place the pieces in the baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for another 30 minutes or until the rolls are puffy and have doubled in size.
  • Towards the end of the proof, preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the top of the rolls with milk or heavy cream
  • Place in middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the buns make a hollow noise when tapped. Check at the halfway mark and tent with foil if the rolls are browning quickly
  • Remove from oven and serve warm

Whipped cream topping (optional)

  • Pour the heaving whipping cream into a bowl and add the sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form
  • After the rolls have cooled somewhat, top with whipped cream. If you top them straight from the oven, the whipped cream will melt

Notes

  1. Baking pan size – I find that a 9 inch round baking pan will fit about 11 rolls. You can either bake the last roll separately or cut the rolls slightly thicker so you only have 11 rolls. A 10 x 13 inch baking pan should be able to fit all 12 rolls
  2. Pumpkin puree – Be sure to used canned pumpkin puree, and not pumpkin pie filling. I use store bought puree (the Whole Foods 365 store brand and Libby’s pumpkin puree). You may find some variance in moisture content among different brands, or if you are using homemade puree

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Seeded sourdough bread https://halicopteraway.com/seeded-sourdough-bread/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=seeded-sourdough-bread https://halicopteraway.com/seeded-sourdough-bread/#comments Fri, 28 Apr 2023 18:35:13 +0000 https://halicopteraway.com/?p=9306 Fragrant and nutty, this seeded sourdough bread is the perfect twist on a classic sourdough loaf. Leavened completely with sourdough starter, it’s packed with sesame and pumpkin seeds – perfect for toast or sandwiches! I love a good no-knead sourdough loaf and this seeded sourdough bread is no exception. It’s full of sesame and pumpkin …

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Fragrant and nutty, this seeded sourdough bread is the perfect twist on a classic sourdough loaf. Leavened completely with sourdough starter, it’s packed with sesame and pumpkin seeds – perfect for toast or sandwiches!

I love a good no-knead sourdough loaf and this seeded sourdough bread is no exception. It’s full of sesame and pumpkin seeds for that perfect, nutty crunch – though you can use any mix of seeds that you’d like!

multi seed sourdough

What kind of seeds can be added seeded sourdough bread?

You can really use any seeds that you like! I personally like a mix of sesame and pumpkin seeds. You could also use sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, or even chia seeds.

When using chia seeds in the past, I have let them soak ahead of time so that they don’t absorb water in the dough.

How to develop sourdough gluten without kneading

In general, I don’t like kneading my sourdough since the dough is high hydration and hard to handle. Because of the long, slow rise the gluten will naturally develop over time. To help that process, we’ll use an autolyse period, coil folds, and lamination to develop strength in the dough.

sliced seeded sourdough

What is an autolyse?

Autolyse is when you mix together the flour and water and let it sit for 20 minutes and up to multiple hours. During this period, the dough becomes stretchier and more elastic, and gluten starts to develop. Traditionally, autolyse leaves out both the yeast and the salt, since salt inhibits the elasticity of the gluten. In this recipe, I mix in the starter along with the water for a “fermetolyse.”

What is a coil fold?

A coil fold is a way of gently stretching and folding the sourdough over itself to help develop the gluten. I do this once every 30 – 45 minutes for a total of 3 times. As you do more coil folds, you notice the dough developing strength, becoming smoother, and holding its shape.

What is sourdough lamination?

Laminating refers to gently stretching out the dough thinly to help develop the gluten. It’s also a great time to include add-ins, such as seeds since they’ll then become evenly distributed throughout the dough. It’s best to laminate early on in the fermentation process so that you don’t knock out too much air. However, you don’t want to add fillings too early, since it could inhibit the rise. In this recipe, I laminate after the second coil fold.

seeded sourdough in cast iron pan

My process for making seeded sourdough

Day 1

10:00 am – Remove starter from the fridge and feed with 60g all-purpose flour and 60g water

1:00pm – Starter has grown about 2x in size. I start the autolyse by mixing the flour, water, and starter in a large bowl.

1:00pm – 1:30pm – Autolyse

1:30pm – Add salt and a little bit of water, mix in

2:00pm – First set of coil folds

2:30pm – Second set of coil folds

3:00pm – Laminate the dough and add seeds

3:45pm – Last set of coil folds

5:00pm – Shape into a boule and place into a bowl

8:00pm – Place in the fridge for an overnight cold retard

Day 2

10:00am – Pre-heat oven to 500F with uncovered Dutch oven inside.

10:45am – Score & bake for 25 minutes with lid on and then reduce to 450F and bake for 20 – 22 minutes with lid off.

3:00pm – Slice into loaf after it has thoroughly cooled.

Other sourdough recipes to try

If you make this recipe, let me know! You can comment below or tag me on Instagram @halicopteraway or #halicopteraway.

seeded sourdough loaf
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Seeded sourdough bread

Fragrant and nutty, this seeded sourdough bread is the perfect twist on a classic sourdough loaf. Leavened completely with sourdough starter, it's packed with sesame and pumpkin seeds – perfect for toast or sandwiches!
Course Breakfast
Keyword bread, sourdough
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting Time 12 hours
Servings 1 loaf

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Dutch oven (see notes if you do not have a Dutch oven)
  • Bowl or proofing basket
  • Food scale

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 115g fed and active sourdough starter, 100% hydration
  • 300g bread flour
  • 205g lukewarm water
  • 7g salt

For the seed mix

  • 25g white sesame seeds
  • 25g black sesame seeds
  • 25g roasted pumpkin seeds, crushed

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, mix together the sourdough starter and 200g of water. Add the bread flour and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Cover and let sit for 30min to 1 hour
  • Add the salt and 5g of water to the dough. Gently use your hands to fold in the salt. Cover and let sit for 30 – 45 min
  • Perform your first coil fold. Wait 30 – 45 minutes more and perform your second coil fold.
  • Mix together the sesame seeds and pumpkins seeds. Then, sprinkle a working surface with water to prevent sticking. Turn your dough onto the surface and very gently stretch until thin, without breaking the dough. It should be about 8 – 10 inches long on each side. Sprinkle the surface generously with the seed mixture. Fold the bottom edge of the dough towards the middle and sprinkle the exposed side with more seeds. Fold in the sides toward the middle, then fold down the top to create a rough ball. Place the dough back in the bowl and sprinkle with any of the remaining seeds. Cover and let sit for another 30 – 45 minutes.
  • Perform the last coil fold, cover, and let sit for another 2 – 3 hours
  • Line a medium bowl with a floured kitchen or paper towel. Lightly flour a working surface and turn the dough onto the surface. Gently shape into a boule and place it seam side up in the bowl. Let sit for another 2 – 3 hours. Periodically check on the dough to make sure it does not overproof.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 8 hours and up to 48 hours.
  • When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 500°F with your uncovered Dutch oven inside. Turn the dough onto floured parchment paper and score.
  • Place the scored loaf in the Dutch oven and cover with the lid. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and reduce temperature to 450°F and bake for another 20 – 22 minutes until it makes a hollow noise when tapped.
  • Remove from oven and let cool completely (about 2 hours) before slicing

Notes

  1. All my sourdough recipes are in grams only, because precision is extremely helpful for baking sourdough
  2. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can use my no Dutch oven method: https://halicopteraway.com/2020/10/28/how-to-bake-sourdough-and-any-crusty-bread-without-a-dutch-oven/ 

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Sourdough milk bread cinnamon rolls https://halicopteraway.com/sourdough-milk-bread-cinnamon-rolls/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sourdough-milk-bread-cinnamon-rolls https://halicopteraway.com/sourdough-milk-bread-cinnamon-rolls/#comments Wed, 08 Mar 2023 17:01:58 +0000 https://halicopteraway.com/?p=9149 These no-knead, sourdough milk bread cinnamon rolls are the fluffiest, softest rolls with a sourdough tang in every bite. They’re naturally leavened and filled layers of cinnamon and brown sugar. A smooth and luscious vanilla cream cheese frosting adds the perfect amount of sweetness to these rolls I love sourdough. I love milk bread. I …

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These no-knead, sourdough milk bread cinnamon rolls are the fluffiest, softest rolls with a sourdough tang in every bite. They’re naturally leavened and filled layers of cinnamon and brown sugar. A smooth and luscious vanilla cream cheese frosting adds the perfect amount of sweetness to these rolls

I love sourdough. I love milk bread. I love cinnamon rolls. Therefore, I love these sourdough milk bread cinnamon rolls. They combine the soft fluffiness of milk bread with the subtle tang of sourdough. And the best part? They’re not too sweet but still packed with flavor!

The base of this recipe comes from my popular sourdough Japanese milk bread recipe. If you want to make a non-sourdough version, replace the dough with my regular Japanese milk bread.

sourdough cinnamon rolls before baking

What makes this the fluffiest sourdough cinnamon rolls

Texture is key for cinnamon rolls, and we use two methods to make this a fluffy and no fuss cinnamon roll recipe.

First, the recipe is no-knead. The long fermentation process helps naturally develop the gluten and create a tender crumb. We’ll only perform a few coil folds to help gently develop the gluten.

Second, we use the tangzhong method to create that cotton candy-like fluffy texture. You cook flour, milk, and water together to create a roux. This gelatinizes the starches which contributes to that incomparable texture.

sourdough milk bread cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting

Tips for making sourdough cinnamon rolls

Unlike working with commercial yeast, there is always a bit of variability when working with sourdough starter. The rise times will vary depending on the strength of your starter. If this is your first time making sourdough, I recommend making just a normal loaf with only water, salt, flour, and starter to get a feel for the process.

Here are tips to help you with these rolls:

  • Make sure you have a mature starter that doubles in size after being fed within 4 – 8 hours. The rise time on this loaf is quite long, so a strong starter is crucial to make sure your loaf is not underproved. If you’re starter isn’t doubling quickly enough, keep discarding and feeding until it builds strength.
  • Be patient – it’s going to take time to rise! Milk bread is an enriched loaf, meaning there’s butter, milk, and eggs added to the dough. These fats slow down the rise, and natural yeast is already a slower mover than commercial yeast. Rise time will vary depending on how warm and humid your kitchen is – I’ve had this recipe take me anywhere from 5 – 10 hours on the second proof. 
  • Use a homemade proofing box – my kitchen is always super cold, so I’ll make my own proofing box. I warm water to 150 – 160F, and pour into a tray on the bottom shelf of my oven. I place my rolls on a higher shelf, then close the oven door to trap the heat and steam.
  • Use a food scale to measure ingredients. Precision helps for the best sourdough results, so I only provide this recipe in grams. 
  • Make sure your butter is at room temperature. Softened butter is important for incorporating smoothly into the dough, otherwise you may have small lumps. 
sourdough cinnamon roll on plate

My baking timeline

Here is a general guide on my baking timeline when making these sourdough cinnamon rolls. You can adjust to whatever works best for your schedule, which I always encourage! Overall, this process spans 2 days though there isn’t too much active time.

Day 1

1:00pm – Mix sourdough starter with milk and flour

5:00pm – Starter has doubled in size. Make the tangzhong. Mix together all ingredients to create the dough.

5:30pm – First set of coil folds to develop gluten

6:15pm – Second set of coil folds 

7:00pm – Third set of coil folds 

8:00pm – Cover and place in fridge for overnight cold retard. This helps make the dough easier to handle when shaping the next day.

Day 2

11:00am – Roll out the dough and shape. Place in a baking dish

— Long rise time. I’ve had it rise in 5 hours in a very warm and humid environment. I’ve also had it take 10 hours during the winter —

7:00pm – Bake for 30 – 35 minutes at 350F. Remove from oven and slather with cream cheese frosting.

fluffy cinnamon roll

This recipe definitely takes longer than your average cinnamon rolls, but I love the sourdough flavor. If you make this recipe, please let me know! It would bring me so much joy to see your sourdough cinnamon rolls. You can comment below or tag me on Instagram @halicopteraway.

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sourdough milk bread cinnamon rolls
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Sourdough milk bread cinnamon rolls

These no-knead, sourdough milk bread cinnamon rolls are the fluffiest, softest rolls with a sourdough tang in every bite. They're naturally leavened and filled layers of cinnamon and brown sugar. A smooth and luscious vanilla cream cheese frosting adds the perfect amount of sweetness to these rolls
Course Breakfast
Keyword cinnamon rolls, milk bread, sourdough
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rest Time 12 hours
Servings 8 rolls

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • Skillet
  • Rolling Pin
  • 9 inch baking dish (see notes)

Ingredients

Levain

  • 30 g fed and active sourdough starter, 100% hydration
  • 60 g milk, warm
  • 60 g bread or all purpose flour

Tangzhong

  • 23 g bread flour
  • 60 g milk
  • 60 g water

Dough

  • 275 g bread flour
  • 50 g granulated sugar
  • 4 g salt
  • 60 g milk, warm
  • 1 egg
  • 60 g butter, room temperature
  • heavy cream or milk for brushing

Filling

  • 45 g butter, room temperature
  • 65 g light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Cream cheese frosting

  • 113 g block cream cheese, room temperature
  • 30 g butter, room temperature
  • 40 g powdered sugar (see notes)

Instructions

Make the levain

  • Mix together the sourdough starter, warm milk, and flour to create the levain. Cover and let rise until doubled in size. This takes about 4 – 8 hours.

Make the tangzhong

  • In small skillet or pot, whisk together flour, milk, and water until smooth. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until mixture has thickened but is still pourable. It should take 5 – 10 minutes. Your whisk should leave a mark when dragged along the bottom of the pan.
  • Pour into a bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming, and allow to cool to room temperature.

Make the dough

  • In a mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt, milk, egg, levain, and tangzhong. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Use your hands to gently mix in the softened butter.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 – 45 minutes.
  • Gently slide your hand under the middle of the dough and fold it over itself twice using the coil fold method. This helps gently develop the gluten.
  • Over the next 2 to 3 hours, allow the dough to rise, performing a coil fold every 30 – 45 minutes. 
  • Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.

Fill and shape the cinnamon rolls

  • Make the filling – use a spatula to mix together the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon into a paste.
  • Grease a baking tin. Remove the dough from the fridge and place on a floured surface. Roll into a 9 inch by 12 inch rectangle.
  • Spread the surface evenly with the cinnamon sugar filling, making sure to get all the way to the edges.
  • Roll up the dough so that you have a 9 inch roll. Divide into 8 to 12 equal pieces (see notes on size)
  • Place the rolls into the greased baking tin. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, humid spot until the tops of cinnamon rolls reach the edge of the pan. This takes 6 – 10 hours depending on how warm your kitchen is and the strength of your starter.
  • When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the top of the rolls with heavy cream or milk
  • Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 – 35 minutes until the tops are golden brown and make a hollow noise when tapped.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes.

Make the cream cheese frosting

  • Whisk together the softened butter and cream cheese. Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar and whisk together until smooth. If you like your icing to be sweeter, you can add up to 40g more of powdered sugar.
  • Spread the icing on the warm rolls and enjoy!

Notes

  1. Baking dish size and number of rolls to make – I use a 9 inch round pan, which fits 8 large rolls. You can make more cinnamon rolls, but will need a larger dish to accommodate. For 12 cinnamon rolls, I recommend a 9 x 13 inch tray. Check the oven at the 25 minute mark to see how the rolls are baking.
  2. Frosting sweetness – I prefer a less sweet icing, so only use 40g of sugar. You can add up to 80g depending on your preference
  3. Make your own proofing box – To help with the rise time, I use a homemade proofing box using hot water and my oven.
    1. Heat water to 150 – 160F. You don’t want the water to be too hot, since it can melt the butter in the dough and filling
    2. Pour the water into a baking tray set on the bottom rack of your oven
    3. Place the rolls on the middle rack
    4. Close the oven door. The hot water will create warmth and humidity. Periodically refill the warm water.

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Flaky croissant-style scallion pastry rolls https://halicopteraway.com/flaky-croissant-style-scallion-pastry-rolls/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=flaky-croissant-style-scallion-pastry-rolls https://halicopteraway.com/flaky-croissant-style-scallion-pastry-rolls/#respond Fri, 03 Feb 2023 18:52:34 +0000 https://halicopteraway.com/?p=8862 These flaky scallion rolls are a delicious Asian-fusion bread that combines flaky laminated pastry with soft fluffy milk bread. They’re filled with sriracha mayo and cheddar cheese and topped with toasted sesame seeds for the ultimate savory flavor combination! This fusion recipe combines different elements of my favorite dishes, from flaky, flavorful scallion pancakes to …

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These flaky scallion rolls are a delicious Asian-fusion bread that combines flaky laminated pastry with soft fluffy milk bread. They’re filled with sriracha mayo and cheddar cheese and topped with toasted sesame seeds for the ultimate savory flavor combination!

This fusion recipe combines different elements of my favorite dishes, from flaky, flavorful scallion pancakes to soft, fluffy milk bread to crispy, layered croissants. You’ll find a lot of different techniques and flavors that have been melded together to create these tasty scallion rolls. 

When you bite into these rolls, you’re met with the fragrant crunch of pastry that melts away to soft, fluffy layers of milk bread. Perfect on their own or paired with a bowl of noodle soup!

croissant style scallion rolls

How to get flaky pastry layers

Scallion pancakes are known for their flaky, crisp texture and I wanted to bring that element into these pastries. The recipe uses a “rough puff” pastry lamination technique.

What is pastry lamination?

Pastry lamination is a technique used to create the flaky layers that pastries such as croissants, Danishes, and puff pastries are known for. It involves rolling out dough, then adding a layer of fat (such as butter or shortening), then folding and rolling the dough again. This process is repeated several times to create multiple layers of dough and fat. When the fat melts in the oven, the steam helps puff up the pastry and create a signature texture.

For this recipe, we use a “rough puff” technique, which involves laminating in small pieces of butter rather than an entire sheet. This technique is easier and more forgiving than a “full puff” lamination.

flaky scallion pastry on colling rack

Tips for pastry lamination

Pastry lamination can be tricky if you’ve never done it before. This recipe is a great introduction though and fairly forgiving! Here are some tips to follow to help you get flaky layers:

  1. Partially develop the gluten when initially making the dough. Normally in bread recipes, you want to knead until the dough forms a window pane and the gluten is fully developed. For this dough, you only want to knead until just smooth. During the lamination process, gluten will continue to develop. If you overknead at the beginning, the dough can become harder to roll out later.
  2. Make sure your work area is cold. I keep my kitchen around 70F because butter starts melting above 75F. You want to make sure the surface you’re working on is cold as well. My countertop will sometimes heat up from sunlight hitting it or because I’m running the dishwasher, and this interferes with lamination!
  3. Freeze the dough for 15 – 20 minutes before starting lamination. This ensures that the dough is colder than the butter, which helps prevent butter breakage and melting.
  4. Grate your butter into small pieces. This helps the butter become evenly distributed among the dough. If you use big chunks of butter, it’s harder to laminate evenly.
  5. Chill the dough for 20 – 30 minutes between each turn. This does 2 things – it keeps the dough cool and prevents the butter from melting, and also gives the gluten in the dough a chance to relax. If you don’t let the gluten relax, the dough will resist being rolled out.
  6. Be patient with proofing. The additional butter can make proofing slower. You’ll know when the rolls have finished proofing when they become puffy and you can see the layers starting to separate. I like to put my rolls in the oven with a tray of hot water (heated to 150 – 160F)  to help speed up the process. Make sure the proofing temperature does not exceed 75F or else the butter will start to melt!

basket of flaky scallion rolls

How to get super soft, fluffy bread

The fluffiness of this recipe comes from using a soft, yeasted milk bread dough. The recipe adapts my Japanese milk bread by hand. It uses less liquid so that the dough is stiffer and easier to handle when laminating. 

Unlike a traditional pastry recipe, the milk bread dough has tangzhong and egg to give it a fluffier, lighter texture. 

flaky scallion roll on plate

Filling the scallion pastry rolls

To make sure that every bit of the pastry is filled with scallion flavor, each lamination adds a layer of chopped scallions. We then roll the dough with more chopped scallions, cheddar, and sriracha mayo. During baking, the sriracha mayo melts into the dough, infusing it with flavor and making the filling extra soft. 

Feel free to adapt the filling to any flavors that you would like! Any savory filling would pair well with the scallion – I know I’ll be experimenting with flavors such as miso, gochujang, and kimchi!

Other savory Asian bread and pastry recipes to try:

croissant style scallion rolls with butter

Everytime I make these rolls, they are devoured immediately!If you make this recipe, please let me know! I always love to see what my readers are baking. You can comment below or tag me on Instagram @halicopteraway.

flaky scallion rolls
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Flaky croissant-style scallion pastry rolls

These flaky scallion rolls are a delicious Asian-fusion bread that combines flaky laminated pastry with soft fluffy milk bread. They're filled with sriracha mayo and cheddar cheese and topped with toasted sesame seeds for the ultimate savory flavor combination!
Course Breakfast, Side Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword bread, pastry, scallions
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Resting Time 4 hours
Servings 9 rolls

Equipment

  • Rolling Pin
  • Mixing bowl
  • 9 x 9 inch baking pan

Ingredients

Tangzhong

  • 3 tbsp (23g) all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup (60g) water
  • 1/4 cup (60g) milk

Dough

  • 1/4 cup (60g) milk, cold
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp (7g) instant or active dry yeast
  • 2 1/2 cups (325g) all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 4 tbsp (60g) unsalted butter, room temperature

Butter for laminating

  • 12 tbsp (170g) unsalted butter, cold

Filling

  • 1 bunch scallions, chopped
  • 2 tbsp mayo
  • 1 tbsp sriracha
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Topping

  • milk for brushing
  • white sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

Make tangzhong

  • In small skillet or pot, whisk together flour, milk, and water until smooth. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until mixture has thickened but is still pourable. It should take 5 – 10 minutes. Your whisk should leave a mark when dragged along the bottom of the pan.
  • Pour into a bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming, and allow to cool to room temperature.

Make the dough

  • In a large measuring cup, mix together the cold milk, sugar, and yeast. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of stand mixer, mix together the all purpose flour and salt. Create a well in the middle and add the milk, sugar, and yeast mixture. Add the tangzhong and egg as well. Using a dough hook attachment, mix together on low speed.
  • After the dough has just come together, add the softened butter in 4 pieces while the stand mixer is running, letting each piece incorporate into the dough before adding the next.
  • Stop mixing when the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Form into a ball, cover, and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour until doubled in size.
  • After the dough has doubled in size, place in the fridge for at least 1 hour to chill, and up to overnight.

Prepare the butter

  • Grate the cold butter into a bowl. Place the bowl in the fridge while you wait for the dough to chill.

Laminate the dough

  • Place the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes before you start laminating
  • Roll the dough out into a 16 inch x 8 inch rectangle on a floured countertop. Place the grated butter in the middle of the dough rectangle in an 8 inch by 8 inch square, spreading it out into an even layer.
  • Enclose the butter – fold the top third of the dough down until the top edge is in the center of the butter. Fold the bottom third of the dough up until the bottom edge meets the top edge. Press the edges together the seal the butter in the dough.
  • Turn 90 degrees so that the dough seam is perpendicular to you. Roll out again into a 16 inch x 8 inch rectangle. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with chopped scallions. Gently roll the rolling pin over the dough to press the scallions in.
  • Do your first book fold – fold the top edge and bottom edges of the dough so that they meet in the middle. Then, fold along the seam like you're closing a book. The dough should have 4 layers. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 20 – 30 minutes.
  • Remove from the fridge and roll out into a 16 inch by 8 inch rectangle. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with chopped scallions. Do your second book fold following the instructions in the above step. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 20 – 30 minutes.

Make the filling

  • In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, mayo, sriracha, brown sugar, and salt. Set aside

Shape & bake the rolls

  • Grease a baking pan and set aside
  • Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out into a 12 inch by 15 inch rectangle. Spread the surface with the filling and sprinkle with chopped scallions and cheddar cheese.
  • Roll up the dough so that the final roll is 12 inches long. Divide into 9 even slices. Place each slice in the greased baking pan
  • Cover and let rise for 1 – 2 hours until puffy and doubled in size. You should see the layers start to separate. Towards the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Brush the top of the rolls with milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds
  • Place in the middle rack and bake for 25 – 30 minutes until a deep golden brown on top
  • Remove from the oven and enjoy warm!

Notes

  1. These rolls are best enjoyed fresh. If eating them on the second day, place in the oven for 5 minutes at 350F to warm them back up

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Cute bunny melon pan https://halicopteraway.com/cute-bunny-melon-pan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cute-bunny-melon-pan https://halicopteraway.com/cute-bunny-melon-pan/#respond Sat, 14 Jan 2023 21:23:22 +0000 https://halicopteraway.com/?p=8791 These melon pan are made with soft and fluffy milk bread and covered with a sweet cookie crust. They’re shaped like adorable bunnies to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit! January 22, 2023 welcomes the year of the rabbit, and there’s no cuter way to celebrate than with these bunny-shaped melon pan! They’re as delicious …

Cute bunny melon pan Read More »

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These melon pan are made with soft and fluffy milk bread and covered with a sweet cookie crust. They’re shaped like adorable bunnies to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit!

January 22, 2023 welcomes the year of the rabbit, and there’s no cuter way to celebrate than with these bunny-shaped melon pan! They’re as delicious as they are cute and are sure to make you and your loved ones smile.

rabbit melon pan

What is melon pan?

Melon pan is a sweet enriched bread from Japan that is known for its signature cross-hatched cookie crust. This cookie crust is where it gets its name, because it looks like a cantaloupe! 

There are many similar breads to melon pan, such as pineapple buns from Hong Kong, soboro bread from Korea, Rotiboys from Malaysia, and conchas from Mexico. All are sweet bread featuring a yummy cookie crust.

melon pan shaped like rabbits

How to make melon pan

We start by making my favorite Japanese milk bread recipe. If you’ve never made an enriched bread before, I recommend you check out my guide to making enriched bread

While the dough is proofing, we make the cookie crust which is a mixture of butter, sugar, egg, flour, corn starch, and baking powder. It has a similar texture to a shortbread cookie, but the egg prevents it from crumbling.

Tips for shaping melon pan

Shaping the melon pan is trickiest part of this bake! Here are tips to get super cute bunnies

  1. Weigh both your cookie dough and your bread dough, then divide by 10 to get the weight for each individual bun. Weighing out the dough ensures that each bun is approximately the same size
  2. Save about a quarter of each roll for the ears, to make sure that they end up long enough
  3. Roll out the cookie dough between parchment paper to avoid sticking
  4. Gently wrap the cookie dough around the roll, and then tuck the excess dough underneath. Roll the bun along the counter to hide all of the seams and create a neat look
  5. Dip in sugar and score before adding on the ears
  6. Make sure to score the cookie crust deep enough that the buns have room to grow in the oven, but not so deep that the bread dough underneath is cut

These bunnies came out so cute and delicious – I hope you’ll give them a try!

bunny melon pan on cooling rack

Other bread recipes to try:

If you make this recipe, please let me know! I always love to see what my readers are baking. You can comment below or tag me on Instagram @halicopteraway.

bunny melon pan on plate
Print

Cute bunny melon pan

These melon pan are made with soft and fluffy milk bread and covered with a sweet cookie crust. They're shaped like adorable bunnies to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit!
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword bread rolls, cute
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 10 buns

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Rolling Pin
  • Baking tray
  • Hand or stand mixer

Ingredients

Tangzhong (makes 1/2 cup)

  • 3 tbsp (23g) bread flour
  • 1/4 cup (60g) water
  • 1/4 cup (60g) milk

Dough

  • 1/2 cup Tangzhong (see above)
  • 1/2 cup (120g) lukewarm milk
  • 2 tsp instant or active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups (325g) bread flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 tbsp (60g) unsalted butter, room temperature

Cookie topping

  • 4 tbsp (60g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups (176g) all purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp (24g) corn starch
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar (for topping)

Milk wash

  • Small amount of milk for brushing before baking (optional)

Decoration

  • Melted chocolate or Nutella

Instructions

Make the tangzhong

  • In small skillet or pot, whisk together flour, milk, and water until smooth. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until mixture has thickened but is still pourable. It should take 5 – 10 minutes. Your whisk should leave a mark when dragged along the bottom of the pan.
  • Pour into a bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming, and allow to cool to room temperature.

Make the dough

  • Mix together yeast, sugar, and warm milk and set aside for 5 minutes. The milk should feel comfortably warm to the touch, but not hot, otherwise it will kill your yeast. The mixture should become frothy and active if your yeast is alive. If there are no signs of activity, throw it out and try again.
  • Combine flour, egg, milk & yeast mixture, 1/2 cup of tangzhong, and salt in a mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, mix on medium speed until just combined. While the stand mixer is running, slowly add the pieces of softened butter until completely incorporated. Knead for another 15 – 20 minutes on medium speed until the dough is smooth and passes the window pane test.
  • Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise for about 1 hour until doubled in size.

Make the cookie dough

  • In a mixing bowl, mix together the all purpose flour, corn starch, and baking powder until well combined. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the beaten egg in 3 additions, mixing well in between each addition.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low speed until a dough forms
  • Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 10 minutes.

Shape the buns

  • Line a baking tray with parchment paper
  • Place 2 tbsp of granulated sugar into a bowl. This will be used to roll the buns in before scoring and baking.
  • After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to release air and turn onto a floured countertop. Divide into 10 equal pieces (~70g each in weight).
  • Take one piece of dough and cut off about a quarter of the dough and set aside. This will be used for the ears. Shape the remaining dough into a smooth ball.
  • Take a ball of cookie dough and roll it out between 2 sheets of parchment paper until it's about 4 – 5 inches wide in diameter. Place the ball of dough in the middle of the cookie and pinch the edges around the dough. Place the bun on the countertop and gently roll to tuck in the seams. The smooth side of the cookie dough should face up.
  • Roll the bun into the granulated sugar until the cookie topping is fully covered. Brush off any excess sugar and then use a knife or bench scraper to score cross-hatched lines across the top of the cookie dough.
  • Take the small piece of dough that you set aside earlier and divide into 2 pieces. Shape into bunny ears. Place the bun on top of the ears. Set each completed bun on a baking tray, leaving about 2 inches of room between each bun.
  • Let proof for another 30 – 45 minutes until the buns have expanded about 50%
  • Towards the end of the proof, preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the bunny ears with a little bit of milk to help them brown in the oven. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until the cookie crust is just beginning to brown, and the buns make a hollow sound when tapped.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Once cool, draw on bunny faces with melted chocolate or Nutella

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Cozonac (sweet walnut roll bread) https://halicopteraway.com/cozonac-sweet-walnut-roll-bread/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cozonac-sweet-walnut-roll-bread https://halicopteraway.com/cozonac-sweet-walnut-roll-bread/#comments Tue, 20 Dec 2022 20:49:51 +0000 https://halicopteraway.com/?p=8624 Cozonac is a sweet yeasted bread traditional to Romania, Bulgaria, and other southeastern European countries. Often filled with a chocolate walnut paste, it’s a delicious and festive treat! I recently had a comment on my panettone video requesting that I try Romanian Cozonac. Up until that point, the only time I had heard of Cozonac …

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Cozonac is a sweet yeasted bread traditional to Romania, Bulgaria, and other southeastern European countries. Often filled with a chocolate walnut paste, it’s a delicious and festive treat!

I recently had a comment on my panettone video requesting that I try Romanian Cozonac. Up until that point, the only time I had heard of Cozonac was on the Great British Baking Show. When I saw it’s beautiful swirls and fluffy texture, I knew I had to give it a try!

cozonac with walnut paste

What is Cozonac?

Cozonac is a sweet enriched bread made with butter, milk, and eggs and leavened with yeast. It is often flavored with citrus and filled with a sweet walnut chocolate paste for a super fragrant and delicious treat. The walnut paste is swirled in between the dough to create beautiful spirals when the loaf is sliced. Some versions also contain dried fruit, but I decided to try the walnut version.

The top of the bread is sprinkled with coarse sugar or poppy seeds for decoration and taste.

Cozonac is traditionally eaten in Romania, Bulgaria, and other southeastern European countries. In Romania, the bread is eaten around Christmas and Easter.

loaf of cozonac

How to make Cozonac

First, we’ll mix together bread flour, yeast, salt, lemon zest, and orange zest.

We’ll then heat up milk, sugar, and butter on the stove until the butter is almost all melted. Remove and let cool before adding to the dough.

To make the dough, combine the milk mixture with the flour mixture and then add in the eggs, rum or orange liquor, and vanilla extract. Knead until the dough forms a window pane, then set aside to rise for 2 hours.

While the dough rises, make the walnut paste, which is a combination of crushed walnuts, milk, sugar, cocoa powder, orange liquor, and orange zest.

You’ll then divide the dough in half and roll each piece out into a rectangle. Spread evenly with walnut paste and then roll up to create a swirl. Twist the two pieces of bread together and place in a loaf tin to rise for 2 – 3 hours. 

Before baking, brush with egg wash for a beautiful shine and sprinkle coarse sugar on top. You’ll bake for 45 – 60 minutes and then let the loaf cool completely!

romanian cozonac

Tips for making Cozonac

Cozonac is an enriched bread that is almost cake-like in texture. I recommend reading my guide to enriched bread if you’ve never made enriched bread before. Luckily, the dough is not too wet and is fairly easy to handle. 

Here are my tips to get a beautiful loaf:

  • When heating up the milk, sugar, and butter, make sure not to overheat. You want it to cool to 80 – 90F before adding to your dough, so that you don’t kill the yeast
  • Be patient – the dough will take a long time to rise, especially if your kitchen is cold. To help speed up the proofing, I place a steaming tray of hot water in the bottom of my oven. I then place my dough in the oven, and the warmth and humidity from the water will help the dough rise faster.
  • When separating the egg yolk for the dough, save the egg white so you can use it for the egg wash at the end of the bake
  • Make sure you knead until the dough develops enough gluten to pass the window pane test
  • For a tall loaf, use a loaf tin. I use an 8 x 4 inch tin to get a very tall loaf. For a wider loaf, you can bake it directly on a baking tray.

I loved learning about this traditional bread and I hope you enjoy the recipe! The recipe was adapted from this version by She Loves Biscotti so that it would work for only one loaf.

cozonac bread slices

Other bread recipes to try

Sources:

cozonac
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Cozonac

Cozonac is a sweet yeasted bread traditional to Romania, Bulgaria, and other southeastern European countries. Often filled with a chocolate walnut paste, it's a delicious and festive treat!
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine Romanian
Keyword bread
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Resting Time 5 hours
Servings 1 loaf

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • Rolling Pin
  • Baking tin or tray

Ingredients

Dough

  • 1/2 cup (120g) milk
  • 6 tbsp (75g) granulated sugar
  • 6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter
  • 3 cups (360g) bread flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 tsp instant or active dry yeast
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tbsp rum or orange liquor

Filling

  • 3.5 oz (100g) walnuts
  • 1/2 cup (120g) milk
  • 6 tbsp (75g) granulated sugar
  • 1/8 cup (30g) orange liquor
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder

Topping

  • 1 egg white (from earlier)
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • coarse sugar

Instructions

  • In a skillet over medium heat, mix together the milk, sugar, and butter. Stir until the butter is right about to melt. Remove from the stove and let cool to 80-90°F
  • In a large bowl of a stand mixer, add the bread flour, salt, yeast, lemon zest, and citrus zest. Mix together.
  • Fit the stand mixer with the paddle or dough hook attachment. Pour in the milk mixture while the stand mixer runs on low speed. Once the dough has come together, add in the egg, egg yolk, rum or orange liquor, and vanilla extract.
  • Knead for 5 – 10 minutes on medium speed until the dough passes the window pane test. It should pull away from the sides of the bowl and not feel too sticky.
  • Cover the dough and let rest for 2 – 2.5 hours in a warm spot until doubled in size.
  • While the dough proofs, make your walnut filling. Add your walnuts to a food processor or blender and mix on high until coarsely ground.
  • Add the walnuts, milk, sugar, orange liquor, orange zest, cocoa powder, and salt to a skillet over medium heat. Whisk until well-combined and let cook until a thick paste forms, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, cover with plastic wrap, and let cool
  • Once the dough has doubled in size, divide it into two equal pieces. Take the first piece of dough and roll into a 9 inch x 6 inch rectangle. Spread half the walnut mixture evenly across the whole surface of the dough, making sure not to skimp on the edges. Roll the dough up so you have a 9 inch long roll. Repeat with the second piece of dough
  • Grease a baking tin and set aside. Twist the two pieces of dough around each other and place in the baking tin. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, which will take 2 – 3 hours.
  • Towards the end of the second proof, preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix together the egg white and milk and brush on the top of the loaf to create a beautiful shiny crust. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar
  • Bake for 45 – 60 minutes until the crust is a deep golden brown and the loaf makes a hollow sound when tapped. The inside temperature should be 190°F. Check on the loaf around the 30 min mark – if it's browning too quickly, tent with aluminum foil.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool in the tin for 15 min. Remove from the tin and let cool completely on a wire rack

Notes

  1. As with all my bread recipes, I strongly recommend using a food scale to measure your ingredients. If you are using cups, make sure to spoon & level your flour instead of scooping directly from the bag. This gives you a more accurate measurement.
  2. Traditionally, cozonac uses rum but I decided to swap for orange liquor
  3. When rolling out the dough, I found that I did not need to use any flour to prevent sticking. If you find the dough to be too sticky to work with, sprinkle some flour on the countertop and on your rolling pin
  4. You can choose to bake this loaf in a baking tin or free form on a baking tray

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Creme brûlée milk bread https://halicopteraway.com/creme-brulee-milk-bread/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=creme-brulee-milk-bread https://halicopteraway.com/creme-brulee-milk-bread/#comments Fri, 25 Mar 2022 20:25:46 +0000 https://halicopteraway.com/?p=6648 Soft and fluffy milk bread buns are filled with vanilla pastry cream and topped with caramelized sugar for the ultimate creme brulee-inspired pastry treat! I love fusion desserts and these creme brulee milk bread buns absolutely deliver on that promise! I use my favorite Japanese milk bread recipe as the base, and then fill each …

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Soft and fluffy milk bread buns are filled with vanilla pastry cream and topped with caramelized sugar for the ultimate creme brulee-inspired pastry treat!

I love fusion desserts and these creme brulee milk bread buns absolutely deliver on that promise! I use my favorite Japanese milk bread recipe as the base, and then fill each bun with rich and creamy pastry cream and top with caramelized sugar to bring in that creme brulee inspired twist!

How to make perfect fluffy milk bread buns

If you haven’t made bread before, I recommend reading my master guide to bread baking. This recipe uses the tangzhong method to achieve a very light and soft crumb – perfect for pairing with sweet cream!

creme brulee bun with filling

Can I use store-bought rolls?

If you are pressed on time, you can also make these creme brulee buns using store-bought bread rolls. Of course, I always think homemade bread will give you better results but sometimes we just don’t have the time and energy needed to make your own bread! 

If you’re using store-bought buns, I recommend something very soft, buttery, and lightly sweetened, such as brioche.

Shaping the rolls

After the dough has finished proofing, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. If you’re being really precise, each piece should weight about 62g. To get very smooth tops, gently stretch the dough between your hands and tuck in the excess pieces of dough. Roll along your kitchen counter to create surface tension.

How to make smooth and flavorful pastry cream

Pastry cream is made with simple ingredients that come together to create a rich and delicious filling.

For the pastry cream, we’ll use the following ingredients:

Milk – Milk is the base of this recipe and you should use either 2% or whole milk to ensure that there is enough fat to create a creamy texture.

Vanilla bean – Because vanilla is the star of the show, I think it’s worth it to use real vanilla bean to flavor these buns. However, if you don’t have vanilla beans on hand, you can use vanilla bean paste or extract instead. 

Sugar – Granulated white sugar adds sweetness

Egg yolks – Egg yolks are a requirement for any custard and add important fats. You can save the whites to use for other recipes, such as macarons!

Corn starch – Corn starch acts as a thickening agent 

Salt – Salt helps cut through the sweetness and adds additional flavor

Butter – unsalted butter adds richness and is added last to the hot cream

cream filled milk bread buns

Tips for making pastry cream

  • If you’re using vanilla beans, heat up the milk and steep the bean for 30 minutes to help extract the flavor
  • Make sure to temper the eggs by slowly pouring the hot milk mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly as you pour. This helps the eggs slowly warm up and avoids scrambling them. 
  • Make sure to watch over your pastry cream and whisk frequently. The cream will thicken up quickly and you want to avoid uneven cooking and lumps
  • Strain the cream through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps

Before filling the buns, we’ll lighten the pastry cream by folding in whipped cream to create an airier texture.

How to fill bread buns with cream

You’ll need a piping bag fitted with a 1/4 inch round piping tip. Before filling the buns, you need to poke a hole in the bottom of the bun and use your finger or a butter knife to poke the inside of the bun to create space for the filling. This is very important – otherwise, you won’t be able to pipe in any cream. 

When filling the bun, you want to insert the piping tip and squeeze gently. As the bun fills, you will feel it becoming heavier. Pipe in as much cream as can fit to ensure that there is delicious filling in every bite!

cracked creme brulee bun

How to add the burnt caramel crust

We’re going to use a dry caramel method in order to make the sugar crust, which means we’ll add white sugar directly to a pan without adding any water. The dry caramel method helps create a caramel more quickly. 

Tips for handling caramel

  • Use a small skillet and heat only about 1/3 cup of sugar at a time. The caramel sets fairly quickly, so you’ll only dip a couple of buns at a time before needing to reheat the sugar
  • Stir the sugar frequently so that it heats evenly
  • Be very careful when dipping the buns into the caramel – it is very hot. Keep a glass of cold water close by so you can dip your fingers in if they accidentally touch the hot caramel.

Do I need a blow torch to make these creme brulee buns?

No, you don’t need a blow torch! This recipe calls for you to cook the sugar over the stove instead of melting it with a blow torch. This will help give the buns a beautiful and shiny sugar coating.

Other delicious bread recipes to try

These buns are an absolutely delectable treat, and are so fun to make!

If you make this recipe, please let me know! I always love to see what my readers are baking. You can comment below or tag me on Instagram @halicopteraway.

creme brulee milk bread
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Creme brulee milk bread

Soft and fluffy milk bread buns are filled with vanilla pastry cream and topped with caramelized sugar for the ultimate creme brulee-inspired pastry treat!
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine French
Keyword bread rolls, creme brulee, milk bread
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 12 buns

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • Sauce pan
  • Piping bag
  • 1/4 inch piping tip

Ingredients

Tangzhong (makes 1/2 cup)

  • 1/4 cup (60g) water
  • 1/4 cup (60g) milk
  • 3 tbsp (23g) bread flour

Dough

  • 1/2 cup Tangzhong (see above)
  • 1/2 cup (120g) milk
  • 2 tsp instant or active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups (325g) bread flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 tbsp (60g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • oil for greasing

Egg wash

  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp milk or water

Vanilla cream filling

  • 2 cups (480g) 2% or whole milk (see note)
  • 1 vanilla bean (see note)
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp (30g) corn starch
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 cup (240g) heavy whipping cream

Caramelized sugar topping

  • 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar

Instructions

Make the tangzhong

  • In small skillet or pot, whisk together flour, milk, and water until smooth. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until mixture has thickened but is still pourable. It should take 5 – 10 minutes. Your whisk should leave a mark when dragged along the bottom of the pan.
  • Pour into a bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming, and allow to cool to room temperature.

Make the dough

  • Mix together yeast, sugar, and warm milk and set aside for 5 minutes. The milk should feel comfortably warm to the touch, but not hot, otherwise it will kill your yeast. The mixture should become frothy and active if your yeast is alive. If there are no signs of activity, throw it out and try again.
  • Combine flour, egg, milk & yeast mixture, 1/2 cup of tangzhong, and salt in a mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, mix on medium speed until just combined. While the stand mixer is running, slowly add the pieces of softened butter until completely incorporated. Knead for another 15 – 20 minutes on medium speed until the dough is smooth and passes the window pane test.
  • Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise for about 1 hour until doubled in size.

Make the pastry cream

  • In a sauce pan or skillet, add the milk. Slice the vanilla bean in half, scrape out the filling, and add the filling and the bean to the milk. Bring to a simmer on medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes to absorb the flavor.
  • Add the egg yolks, sugar, corn starch, and salt to a mixing bowl. Whisk together until the egg is light and fluffy and falls in ribbons off the whisk.
  • Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the eggs, whisking as you pour. After all the milk has been added, return the mixture to the pan. Cook on medium heat, whisking constantly, until the cream has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the butter until well incorporated. Pass through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps, and cover with plastic wrap. The plastic wrap should touch the top of the cream to prevent a film from forming. Let cool for 30 minutes, then place in the fridge to finish cooling.

Make the buns

  • Line a baking tray with parchment paper
  • After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to release air and turn onto a floured countertop. Divide into 12 equal pieces (~62g each in weight) and shape each piece into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a baking tray spaced about 2 inches apart.
  • Whisk together egg and milk to make an egg wash. Brush the tops of the buns right after you shape them. Set aside the egg wash to use again right before baking. This helps provide a deep golden brown color in the oven.
  • Cover the buns and let them proof for another 30 – 45 minutes. When you poke your finger into the dough, it should come back about halfway when it's ready to bake. Towards the end of the proof, preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Once the buns are proofed, brush again with egg wash. Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 15 – 18 minutes until golden brown and they make a hollow sound when tapped. Remove from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely before filling.

Fill the buns

  • Use a butter knife or your finger to poke a hole into the bottom of each bun. Wiggle your finger around the inside of the bun to make room for the cream.
  • Pour the heavy whipping cream into a mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the cream into the pastry cream until evenly distributed.
  • Place into a piping bag fitted with a 1/4 tip. Place the tip into the hole you made earlier and fill generously. Repeat for each bun.

Caramelize the buns

  • Add about 1/3 cup of sugar to a small skillet and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and turns golden brown. Remove from heat and gently dip the top of each bun into the sugar, being careful to avoid touching the caramel with your fingers. You may need to tilt the skillet so that the caramel pools on one side. You'll be able to dip about 2 – 3 buns before the caramel hardens.
  • Return the caramel to the stove, and reheat until it melts. Add about another 1/3 cup of sugar each time you reheat. Continue to dip the buns and reheat the caramel.
  • Once buns are dipped into the caramel, they are best enjoyed on the same day.

Notes

  1. If you don’t want to make the bread buns, you can replace with store-bought soft rolls. I recommend something soft and buttery such as brioche.
  2. For the pastry cream, it is important to use 2% or whole milk to achieve the correct texture
  3. You can replace the vanilla bean with 1 tbsp of vanilla extract
  4. The buns and pastry cream can be made one day ahead and then assembled on the day that you would like to eat them. Once the buns are fully assembled, they should be eaten on the same day to avoid the sugar softening.

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Super soft tangzhong brioche bread https://halicopteraway.com/super-soft-tangzhong-brioche-bread/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=super-soft-tangzhong-brioche-bread https://halicopteraway.com/super-soft-tangzhong-brioche-bread/#comments Fri, 18 Mar 2022 17:50:05 +0000 https://halicopteraway.com/?p=6564 This fluffy brioche is made using the tangzhong method to give it a beautiful, light texture that stays soft for days. This recipe uses all purpose flour for a versatile and delicious loaf of bread! This tangzhong brioche bread combines two of my favorite breads – buttery, traditional French brioche and soft Japanese milk bread. …

Super soft tangzhong brioche bread Read More »

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This fluffy brioche is made using the tangzhong method to give it a beautiful, light texture that stays soft for days. This recipe uses all purpose flour for a versatile and delicious loaf of bread!

This tangzhong brioche bread combines two of my favorite breads – buttery, traditional French brioche and soft Japanese milk bread. It takes the gorgeous, golden, buttery texture of brioche and combines it with that perfect fluffiness achieved through the tangzhong method. 

The texture of this bread is absolutely gorgeous – a cloud-like, cottony crumb that’s perfect for spreading with lemon curd or hazelnut cream. It takes some time to make, but I promise the result is worth it!

buttery brioche

What is brioche?

Brioche is a very rich, buttery French bread that has a high fat content. It’s known for it’s beautiful golden yellow color and can be used in sweet or savory recipes. 

Because it has added fats, brioche is an enriched bread. I recommend reading my guide to baking enriched breads if this is your first time baking brioche!

Do I need to use bread flour for brioche?

No! This brioche recipe uses all purpose flour. No need to use bread flour here.

Using the tangzhong method in brioche

Traditional brioche does not use the tangzhong method, but to be honest I’ve always found traditional brioche to be a little dry. All that extra butter can lead to the bread easily drying up after just a day or two. By adding tangzhong, we help create and sustain that perfect cloud-like texture.

What is tangzhong?

Tangzhong is a method often used in Chinese baking where liquid and flour are cooked together on the stove and then added to the dough. This gelatinizes the gluten strands, which helps create a softer and more delicious bread. 

How do you make tangzhong?

Making tangzhong is very easy – you simply whisk together flour and milk on the stove over medium heat until it forms a thick paste. Set it aside to cool slightly before adding it to your dough! 

The tangzhong will be the only liquid that is used in this recipe!

slice of brioche

Tips for rich and buttery tangzhong brioche

Along with a super soft texture, we want our brioche to be full of delicious buttery flavor. We’ll achieve this in two ways:

  1. Using lots of fat in the dough with butter and egg yolks. Make sure that your butter is truly at room temperature so that it easily incorporates into the dough. 
  2. Placing the dough in the fridge for a slow second rise. Slowing down the second rise helps the flavor develop so that you get a richer and more complex loaf. If you’re pressed for time, you can skip the second rise and go straight to shaping, but the final result won’t be as flavorful.

Tips for kneading brioche

Brioche is a very soft and supple dough, so it can be difficult to knead by hand. If you have a stand mixer, I recommend using it to spare your arms a workout. When using a stand mixer, I always use the paddle attachment instead of the dough hook attachment to avoid ripping the gluten strands. When kneading using my machine, it takes me about 15 – 20 minutes on medium-high speed. 

If you’re kneading by hand, I recommend checking out my Japanese milk bread recipe for tips on how to manage very wet and sticky doughs by hand.

You want the dough to have very developed gluten to help create the final fluffy crumb. Use the window pane test to determine if you have kneaded long enough. The dough should easily be able to create a very thin and see-through sheet when you stretch it between your fingers. 

Tips for baking brioche

I’ve tested this recipe with both an 8×4 inch pan and a 9 x 5 inch pan. Both work well, but you will get a slightly taller loaf using the 8×4 inch pan. 

To help give the brioche a beautiful golden brown color, we will brush with egg wash twice – once right after shaping and then again right before putting the loaf in the oven. 

We want to get a beautiful oven spring, so first we will bake for 10 minutes and 400°F, then reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 20 minutes. The higher initial temperature encourages yeast activity to create a beautiful final rise. 

tangzhong brioche loaf

How do you know when the brioche is done baking?

The brioche will be a beautiful deep golden brown and will make a hollow sound when tapped with a back of the spoon. If you have an oven thermometer, I also recommend taking the internal temperature of the bread which should be 190°F.

Brioche can seem intimidating, but the most important ingredient here is time! Just let your dough sit, and time will do most of the work for you. 

Other bread recipes to try

If you make this recipe, please let me know! I always love to see what my readers are baking. You can comment below or tag me on Instagram @halicopteraway.

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fluffy tangzhong brioche
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Super soft tangzhong brioche

This fluffy brioche is made using the tangzhong method to give it a beautiful, light texture that stays soft for days. It's perfect for making savory sandwiches or toasting with butter and jam!
Course Breakfast
Cuisine French
Keyword bread, brioche, tangzhong
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Resting Time 15 hours
Servings 1 loaf

Equipment

  • 8×4 inch or 9×5 inch baking tin
  • stand mixer with paddle attachment
  • small pan

Ingredients

Tangzhong

  • 1/2 cup (120g) milk
  • 3 tbsp (23g) all purpose flour

Dough

  • 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
  • 3 tbsp (36g) granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 (300g) all purpose flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 6 tbsp (90g) unsalted butter, room temperature

Egg wash

  • 1 egg white (leftover from the yolk used in the dough)
  • 1 tbsp milk or water

Instructions

Make tangzhong

  • In small skillet or pot, whisk together flour and milk until smooth. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until mixture has thickened but is still pourable. It should take 5 – 10 minutes. Your whisk should leave a mark when dragged along the bottom of the pan.
  • Pour into a bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming, and allow to cool slightly until lukewarm.

Make the dough

  • Add the tangzhong to your mixing bowl while still warm, but not hot to the touch. Add the sugar and yeast. Let sit for 5 – 10 minutes until bubbles form on the surface. It won't get as frothy as when you activate your yeast using warm water or milk.
  • Add the flour, eggs, egg yolk, and salt to the bowl. Make sure to set aside the egg white in the fridge to use later in the egg wash. Mix using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until the dough just comes together. While the stand mixer is running, slowly add the butter into pieces until completely incorporated.
  • On medium high speed, knead the dough for 15 – 20 minutes until the dough is smooth and passes the window pane test. You'll notice the dough is forming a ball in the middle of the bowl instead of sticking to the sides.
  • Form into a ball and place into a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise for 2 hours until doubled in size. After the dough has completed it's first rise, gently punch it down and reshape into a ball. Place in the fridge and let rise for a minimum of 8 hours and up to 48 hours.
  • When you're ready to bake, remove the dough from the fridge and punch down to release the air. It should have risen, but not as much as the first rise. Grease or line a baking tin with parchment paper.
  • Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and gently form into round balls. Place the balls into the tin, slightly offsetting them to form a zigzag pattern.
  • Mix together your egg white and milk to make an egg wash. Brush the top of the loaf with the egg wash. Cover and set aside the remainder in the fridge to do a second brush right before baking.
  • Cover the tin and let rise for another 2 hours, until the loaf has risen above the rim of the pan. When you press your finger into the loaf, it should slowly come back about halfway. If it comes back too quickly, it needs more time. If it doesn't come back at all, then you need to bake immediately.
  • Towards the end of the rise, preheat your oven to 400°F. Brush the top of the loaf again with egg wash.
  • Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350°F. if the top is browning too quickly at this point, tent with aluminum foil. Bake for another 20 minutes until the loaf is a deep golden brown and makes a hollow noise when tapped. The internal temperature should read 190°F.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and let the loaf finish cooling for another 20 – 30 minutes on a wire cooling rack.

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