Wheat Bread Using Tangzhong Method - Baking Partners

I was all excited for this day to post my first recipe in Baking challenge Partners. All must be familiar with this baking group hosting by Swati Iyer. This is an amazing platform to learn more baking stuffs and its techniques… Lovely concept which is very helpful for the baking beginners like me. Every month 16th one baking recipe will be shared among the group and all the members have to try n innovative in their style. 

And every 15^th of next month, the tried recipe will be posted on their blogs on the same date. Interesting right….

Joined this amazing group last month end and our challenge was French Macroons… In short time, tried once but it was not very perfect and did not find time to make it again before the date. But of course have plans to try those yummy macroons in future. And the next challenge for march was Bread. I was very happy n tensed to try bread at home and luckily my baking members helped me by sharing their tips.. Thanks to everyone !!

Who will not love baking their own bread at home and that too the joy we experience while baking and tasting our homemade baked bread is immeasurable…   

Two Interesting methods were given to us and can choose any one of them or can try the both methods… One is Tangzhong Method and other is Scandinavian Method of scald flour. Tangzhong is a secret of Asian making bread. Asian breads are chewy, soft, sweet n light comparatively so this method is carried out. 

This method is basically just a water and flour cooked and then mixed with the remaining ingredients to make soft n fluffy bread. Only thing is you need more patience because the tangzhong mixture has to be completely cooled down to room temperature before getting added with  the other ingredients. You need some extra time and effort to attain this flavorful bread but trust me… all worth when you bite a piece of bread J. Googled a lot to know more about this method and found an interesting fact that this method is also called Water Roux method and was introduced by Japanese Author, Yvonne Chen.

And in Scandinavian Method, the flour is scalded before adding it to the bread making dough.  Boiling water is added to the flour so that it gets cooked and  the starch in the flour becomes like jelly. Then this mixture is mixed with the bread flour and kneaded with the all the ingredients used for making bread.

Variations can also be done by using this both method. Instead of trying loaf, dinner rolls, pull apart breads and dilkush can also be prepared. Our friends from Baking partners have done lots of variations with this method and prepared yummy n delicious baked goodies. Do visit their sites too…

My first attempt was using the Scandinavian method but did not get the loaf properly so turned the remaining dough into dinner rolls. I had a very small bread tin so tried with that using half of prepared dough and it did not turn up as I expected. Later bought one perfect sized tin to try the tangzhong method and happy that it worked so well and finally baked my soft n yummy homemade bread. The flavor was also too yummy because of the addition of milk powder. The actual recipe calls for bread flour and due to unavailability tried mine with the All purpose flour and Wheat flour. 

And here comes the recipe which is adapted from Christine’s Recipes…

Ingredients for Tangzhong Method :

·        50gm All purpose flour ( Actual recipe calls for bread flour )
·        250ml water (could be replaced by milk, or 50/50 water and milk)
·         Formula of 1 parts of flour with 5 parts of water heat at 65 c/ 150F.

Ingredients for Bread:   

• 200gm All Purpose flour
• 150 gms Wheat flour
• 3tbsp+2tsp caster sugar
• 1tsp salt
• 56gm egg (equals to 1 large egg) ( If you want eggless, increase the amount of milk or add a cooked potato)
• 1tbsp+1tsp milk powder (to increase the flavor which is optional)
• 125ml milk
• 120gm tangzhong (use half of the tangzhong you make from above)
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 3tbsp butter (cut into small pieces, softened at room temperature)

Method for making tangzhong:

• Add flour in water and mix well to avoid any lumps.

• Cook over medium – low heat and stir continuously with a spoon or spatula to avoid the mixture burning and sticking while cooking.

• Cook until the mixture turns thicker or until you notice some lines appear in the mixture for every stir you make with the spoon.

• Temperature of Tangzhong is 65C / 149 F.

• Once done, remove from heat and transfer into a clean bowl.

• Cover it up with the cling film to prevent the mixture from drying up.

• Let it cools down to room temperature.

• Measure the exact amount of tangzhong mixture which needed for recipe and refrigerate the remaining mixture.

Method for making bread:

• Combine flour, salt, instant yeast and sugar in a bowl.

• Make a well in the center.

• Combine milk, egg and tangzhong in a separate bowl and whisk well.

• Now add this wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients.

• Knead well to get a dough shape and the gluten has developed.

• Now add the butter and knead again. This stage will be little messy but keep kneading until the dough is smooth, not sticky and elastic.

• To test whether the dough is ready, stretch the dough and if it forms a thin membrane then it’s done. This method is called Window Pan Test.

• Knead the dough into ball shaped and place it in a greased bowl.

• Cover it with a cling foil and let it proof until its size doubles. It takes 40 -50 minutes.

• Now transfer the dough to a clean floured surface and deflate.

• Divide the dough into four equal portions and knead into ball shapes.

• Cover it again with the cling foil and rest for 15 minutes.

• Take each piece and using rolling pin, roll out into an oval shape.

• Fold the shorter sides of each oval over like an envelope, into sort of a square.

• Flip the squares over, and roll out into an oval again.

• Flip them back over, and roll each oval into a roll/cylinder, from one end to the other. 

• Arrange the rolls in a Loaf tin and cover with cling foil.

•  Allow it to rise to about ¾ of the height of the Loaf tin.

• It took about 50 minutes to rise.

• Brush the loaf with the egg wash and bake in a pre-heated oven at 170 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

• Remove the loaf from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Let it cool completely. 

Cut them into slices and serve.

Notes for Tangzhong  :

• It can stored in a fridge for few days until the color changes. And if you notice some changes in color immediately discard them and prepare fresh again.

• The chilled tangzhong should come to room temperature before adding it.

Notes for Bread :

• Proofing time varies according to the weather and the best temperature for proofing is 28C / 80F.

• If the top of bread gets too brown, then cover the loaf with aluminum foil while baking. 

Thank you so much swati for this opportunity to try these delicious bread… And special thanks to my friend n blogger Sangeetha Priya who helped me in baking by giving tips and previous post in her blog was very helpful to get an idea of baking.. Thank you so much dear.