Soft, billowy, beautiful dinner rolls are always welcome for a special occasion, and especially during Thanksgiving & Christmas. Here’s a recipe that takes the dinner roll to the next level – these are rolls that will make you and your guests sit up and take notice.
Oh, and don’t even think about using anything but butter on these, unless, perhaps, you’d like a bit of jam! Japanese Milk Bread Dinner Rolls deserve butter and nothing less. No spreads, margarines or oleos on these, please! I feel like I shouldn’t even be mentioning those products on the same post as this wonderful bread!
What makes these rolls so special is a Japanese bread making technique called Tangzhong – a bit of the flour is cooked with the milk into a kind of roux or pudding like mixture. Then everything is dumped together and mixed and that mixture includes an added milk boost with some dried milk.
The result is fluffy, light and gorgeously flavored and textured rolls. They’re almost ethereal. If you’re a follower, you might remember the Kindred Milk Bread I made awhile back using the Tangzhong technique. That bread’s delish, too, but much richer than these lighter rolls. What can I say, I love both breads! 🙂
With all the sugar and yeast in this recipe, they’re quick to make, rise and bake so this isn’t an all day project. I made these once the night before and refrigerated them overnight to bake the next day. They really weren’t as light and this dough took forever to come to room temp, so I really wouldn’t recommend doing so. I didn’t save any time and didn’t like them quite as much.
I adapted this recipe from King Arthur flour, and if you’re a baker, you know how reliable they are. I did have a bit of difficulty at first, though, with the instructions. When I make bread, I’m used to adding flour until the bread forms kind of a “ball” in the mixer when it’s properly kneaded. This bread is almost like a batter, and should be that moist. You’ll want it to hold some shape, but don’t expect a firm ball that’s springy.
And of course, I have a few tips: When you bring home flour, or any products with flour in them, freeze for three days or refrigerate for 30 to prevent infestations. For the best pricing, buy yeast in jars and keep in the fridge or the freezer, and look for all these baking items on sale around any Holiday. They’ll be at the lowest around Christmas and Easter.
Japanese Milk Bread Dinner Rolls
The “roux” or Tangzhong
- 6 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 tablespoons King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour or Organic Bread Flour
Combine milk and flour in a small saucepan and whisk together. Place over medium heat and whisk until the mixture thickens and “clean” trails are left behind as it;s whisked.
Remove from heat and cool. Mixture will cool faster if removed from the hot pan; it’s just as easy to transfer it to the mixing bowl to cool it.
The Bread:
- 2 1/2 cups bread or all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons non-fat dry milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) melted and cooled butter
To make the dough: Combine the tangzhong with the rest of the dough ingredients, then mix and knead — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — until a smooth, elastic dough forms. Don’t expect this to form a ball, it will be more like a batter that holds some shape and will be rather sticky.
Shape the dough into a ball, and let it rest in a lightly greased covered bowl for 60 to 90 minutes, until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk.
Gently deflate the dough, divide it into 8 equal pieces, and shape each piece into a ball by pulling the edges under and crimping or pinching together on the bottom. Place the dough on a very lightly floured counter and cupping it on either side with hands, use pinkies to pull the dough down and in as you gently turn it, tightening up the rolls.
Place the rolls into a lightly greased 9 to 10″ pan, a spring form works well. Cover the pan, and let the rolls rest for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy and smoothly risen.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the rolls with milk or egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water), and bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown on top; a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the middle roll should read at least 190°F.
Remove the rolls from the oven. Allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
Yield: 8 large rolls.
Note: To make a loaf: After the dough’s initial rise, divide it into four equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a rectangle, then fold the short ends in towards one another like a letter. Flatten the folded pieces into rectangles again and, starting with a short end, roll them each into a log. Place the logs in a row of four — seam side down and side by side — in a lightly greased 9″ x 5″ loaf pan. Cover the loaf and allow it to rest/rise for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy. Brush the loaf with milk or egg wash and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, until golden brown on top and a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads at least 190°F. Remove the loaf from the oven, and cool it on a rack.
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I’m going to be sharing these marvelous rolls this week on our very own Throwback Thursday as well as Saucy Saturdays and Fiesta Friday! Fiesta Friday is hosted this week by Linda @ La Petite Paniere and Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook.
I was thrilled to see these lovely rolls featured on Fiesta Friday!
It’s a great bread, isn’t it. I haven’t made it in over a year.
I am just craving it right now!! 🙂
This sounds delicious! I’ve always wanted to try this, I may as well make some myself~ I didn’t realise that it was so simple to do 🙂
They’re so fun to make and eat and they rise quickly. And so good they’re totally worth the time!! It’s a great recipe to try.
Absolutely! I’ve seen them before but this is the first actual recipe I’ve found; I’ve got to try it! 😊
Looks delicious 😋
Thanks, Alice. These are destined to become a family favorite. I know I’ll be making them over and over. 🙂
Beautiful! I love homemade bread;)
Thanks! I don’t bake bread a lot, so I’m always overjoyed at the miracle that takes place!
I bake bread once a week. Just really love the smell of homemade bread:)
I did when I was young, and I’m going to be baking a bit more because I just got some sourdough starter going. 🙂 I’m a little excited about it, but at the same time sourdough is a little bit of a responsibility! We’ll see how I do on it, lol!
Good luck! I do not use sourdough-should maybe try it once…
That’s the problem, it’s not just once, lol! You have to keep feeding it every week and taking some out – it can be dried and frozen if you’re not going to use it, but I’ve never done that.
Lol;) sounds like a lot of work…
Maybe I should name it, then I’ll be less likely to kill it off, lol!
You should;)
What a beautiful pan of rolls! I’d love to have one of those rolls warm please!
Thanks, Julie! I’m not a great bread maker, but they were very forgiving! I’d love to see what yours would turn out like!! 🙂
HI Mollie! These rolls are so beautiful!! (and I’m sure delicious!). and thanks for the extra tips– that’s the kind of things you need to know to really make a recipe work! I’m so fond of bread– Hope I can make these soon!! I have everything but the dried milk. thanks!
Thanks, Rhonda! I’ve used dry milk before for bread but it has been years and year. I finally found it near the condensed milk in the baking aisle. I remember when I was growing up people used to mix it with regular milk to save a little money, but it sure didn’t seem too cheep to me! I guess it’s not longer a much used, every day item…
Yep, muy mom went through a powdered milk phase for us. Part of the post WWII food technology boom. But we never loved it. I’ll let you know how I do with the rolls. They really are beautiful! Have you launched into Christmas baking?? I’m going to try to copy some chocolate hazelnut cookies we had at a coffee shop up with SF this morning . It may be a big flop! we’ll see… Take care blog-buddy!! xo
I’m sure they’ll be wonderful! Chocolate/Hazelnut is right up my alley!!
We’ve got to try these! Looks delicious.
I would put these on the must try list! They were pretty outstanding. 🙂
They look insanely good, Molly. Thanks for sharing such wonderful bread recipe at this week’s FF party. 🙂
My pleasure, Jhuls, and thanks for hosting FF!! 🙂
Those rolls look absolutely AMAZING Mollie! I will just have to enjoy them vicariously through you. 🙂
They were just beautiful! Hey, I was back home and got my peppers! Yay!!!
Yay!
Wow, these look amazing! I’m passing this recipe onto the hubby who is the bread-maker in the family! 🙂
Thanks! And lucky you!! 🙂
These look so soft and tasty. Thanks for the tips. I too would expect a dough that is not as soft. Great to know. 🙂
It was weird the original recipe didn’t really note that because it’s so different than what most of us are used to, I think. They really are gorgeous rolls! 🙂
Yes, I would probably add more flour, so I’m glad you mentioned the texture.
I’m definitely going to give it a try over the holidays. 🙂
Hope you like it and I did stir and then measure my flour and had to add a little more. Just look for a good “blob” that kind of stands up and holds it’s shape some.
Will do. Thanks! 🙂
Such delicious rolls Mollie! What a cool and yummy recipe!
Thanks, Atonia. We eat mostly whole grain here, and really not much of that so these were really special! 🙂
Great tips on these rolls Molly. These these would be pretty dangerous for me if left alone 🙂
Loretta, I woke up in the middle of the night and popped one in the microwave for about 10 seconds! Now who gets up and has bread for a midnight snack, lol, but they were that good@
They look amazing, and perfect!
Where have they been all my life??!! Well, it’s probably a good thing I didn’t know about these earlier, lol!
Ha ha!
Wow, they look so yummy, fluffy and soft. My kind of bread 😀 Thanks for the tips Molly! Thanks for sharing this with Fiesta Friday! 🙂
My pleasure! And thanks for coming out of “semi-retirement!”
😀