
Shokupan · Plain White Bread
Japanese Shokupan · Plain White Bread is a light, airy, and slightly sweet white bread that’s perfect for toast, sandwiches, or snacking. This recipe guides you through making this classic Japanese loaf, using a Yudane or Tangzhong method for extra softness and structure. The result is a tender, delicious loaf with a beautiful golden crust that’s ideal for everyday use or special occasions.

Ingredients for 2 Loaves Servings
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700g bread flour (13% protein)
520ml whole milk (room temperature)
12g fine salt
10g dried yeast
2 tbsp honey (or 45g – 50gerythritol)
100g unsalted butter, room temperature
Total Time
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Total Time4 hours 30 minutes
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Preparation Time25 min
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Cooking Time35 min
Method
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Tangzhong/Roux Preparation:
In a small saucepan, combine 50g of the flour and 130ml of the milk.
Place over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens into a paste.
Let it cool down. Cover it with a plastic film. Making sure the film touches the surface to prevent a skin from forming.Making the Dough:
In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the rest of the flour, salt, and yeast.
Briefly mix to incorporate the dry ingredients. Add the milk, tangzhong paste, and honey or erythritol into the flour mixture.
Using a dough hook, mix on low to medium speed until a rough dough forms.
Continue kneading for 8-10 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
While the mixer is still running, add the butter gradually, a few pieces at a time.
Knead until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is once again smooth and elastic, another 8-10 minutes.
This will look messy for a moment, but no worries it will become very smooth.
The dough should pass the windowpane test at this stage.
Place the dough into a lightly greased container, cover, and let it rise until doubled in size.
This will take 1-2 hours depending on the room temperature.Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air.
Divide the dough into two equal parts, then divide each part into 3 smaller pieces.
Shape each piece into a ball and cover with a kitchen towel, letting them rest for 15-20 minutes to relax.Preparing the Cake Pans:
Lightly grease the cake pans, either with softened butter or with a cake release spray for even coverage.
For each piece of dough, roll it out into a 15x25cm rectangle. Fold the dough in thirds and then roll it up like a Swiss roll.
Place the rolled dough seam-side down in the prepared pan. Repeat with all the dough pieces, putting three in each pan.
This shaping technique helps give the dough extra structure, ensuring it holds its shape during baking.
For a square loaf, cover the pan with the lid. If you’re making a rounded-top loaf, just cover the pan with cling film.
Let the dough rise for 1-2 hours, or until the dough is about 2cm from the top of the pan.
Be cautious with a square loaf—over-proofing can cause the dough to stick to the lid.Baking:
Preheat your oven to 210°C (190°C for fan ovens).
For a shiny finish on a rounded-top loaf, you can brush it with an egg wash, but this is optional.
Bake the rounded-top loaf for 30 minutes and the square loaf for 35 minutes.
The rounded loaf should come out deep golden brown, similar to a rich French brioche.After baking, tap the loaf firmly on the countertop, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. This tapping helps loosen the bread from the pan and prevents shrinking. For the square loaf, tap the pan before sliding off the lid. Shrinking may happen due to underbaking, leaving too much moisture, or over-proofing, which weakens the dough and causes it to collapse as it cools.
Allow the loaves to cool fully before slicing. Store them in plastic bread bags, or slice and freeze for later use.
Tip:
If you’re baking a square loaf and notice a slight “muffin top” where the dough has pushed into the lid, it means the second proof went a bit too long. Next time, bake the loaf slightly earlier. Keep an eye on it.
Notes
Tangzhong vs Yudane
Tangzhong and Yudane are essentially the same concept—a roux made with flour and liquid, though in my case, I prefer using milk and flour. If you’ve ever made bread, you’ll know that the more liquid you add, the stickier and harder to work with the dough becomes. By turning some of that liquid into a roux, you can increase the hydration of the dough without making it tricky to handle. When the flour’s starch gelatinizes, it absorbs the liquid, preventing the dough from becoming overly soft.
For example, this recipe has a 74% hydration level, but when you’re kneading and shaping it, it feels like you’re working with a much lower hydration dough. The end result is an incredibly soft and light loaf that stays fresh longer.
Tangzhong is the Chinese term for this method, and Yudane is the Japanese version. Tangzhong gained popularity in the West after the Taiwanese author Yvonne Chen introduced it in her 2007 book 65°C Tangzhong Bread. Although both names are often used interchangeably, there’s a subtle difference. Tangzhong involves cooking the flour and liquid mixture to form a paste, while Yudane is made by pouring hot liquid over the flour to create a paste without cooking.
Personally, I stick to the tangzhong method, but both techniques will give you that light, fluffy result we’re aiming for in bread.