This Sourdough Tangzhong Bread is flavorful with a wonderful texture, perfect for eating on its own or toasted with butter and jam. Start a day or two ahead of when you want to bake for the best flavor.
Like many of us, I took the lockdown days of this pandemic as an opportunity to create a sourdough starter. I did have one before we left Dubai but I am not a dedicated enough owner to try to transport it in an airplane. The more devoted among you will probably be horrified to hear that I tipped my unnamed starter out, washed the jar and didn’t even feel guilty.
That said, I’ve been enjoying this one in a variety of recipes. You might want to try my sourdough pancakes or sourdough chocolate Bundt cake. Both delicious. Still haven’t named my starter yet though, just in case it needs to go at some point. Or I kill it.
As for the tangzhong, I learned all about it when I made my first loaf with the method, a rye bread where it came in very handy to add structure and substance. When the flour you are using is low in gluten, like rye, knowing how to make a tangzhong is a very good thing! Making it in the microwave was such a breeze that I’ll never do it any other way now.
N.B. An accurate thermometer is essential for this recipe.
Sourdough Tangzhong Bread
This recipe is adapted from one on Food Geek. The author says his is not a recipe for beginners so I simplified it. While I didn’t get as airy a loaf as he did, we were super pleased with the flavor and texture.
Ingredients for two round loaves
For the tangzhong:
1/2 cup or 64g bread flour
1 cup + 2 1/2 tablespoons or 275ml water
For the dough:
4 1/4 cups or 540g bread flour
1 1/3 cups or 170g whole-grain wheat flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 2/3 cups or 380ml water
Tangzhong
3/4 cup or 170g sourdough starter
Method
Make tangzhong by mixing the flour and water with a whisk in a microwaveable bowl.
Microwave on high until the mixture is above 149°F or 65°C. It took about 1 minute and 40 seconds in my 1000W microwave. Whisk halfway through then whisk again at the end. Your tangzhong will be thick and glossy.
Set the tangzhong aside to cool to at least 86°F or 30°C.
To make the dough, add 4 1/4 cups or 531g bread flour, 172g whole-grain wheat flour, and 16g salt to the bowl of your stand mixer.
Add 1 2/3 cups or 380ml of water to the bowl along with the cooled tangzhong.
Incorporate all the water into the flour mixture using your paddle beater or bread hook. Just keep mixing until there's no dry flour left. Cover the bowl with a little cling film or a damp towel and set it aside for 30 minutes.
Add 170g of the sourdough starter on top of the dough and use the bread hook to incorporate it.
Cover the bowl again with cling film or a damp towel and let it rest again for another 30 minutes.
Rather than traditional kneading, the gluten strands are formed and stretched in this dough by performing three sets of coil folds spaced out by 30 minutes. I’m going to save us all a long explanation by including this YouTube video that shows you exactly what to do. Here's the link in case the video isn't working. https://youtu.be/6JQm2n4aVZc
You want to do this once, wait 30 minutes, do it again, wait 30 minutes, then do the final coil fold for a total of three times in all.
Cover the bowl again with cling film or a damp towel and set it somewhere warm for about an hour or until it has doubled in size.
Put the bowl in a refrigerator for 24-48 hours.
On the day you are ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide and shape the dough by cutting it in half with a bench scraper.
Shape each half into a ball. Stretch each side out and fold it up and over the ball until you’ve done that from all four sides. Pinch the ends together.
Use the scraper to flip the ball over onto a square of baking parchment. Sprinkle on flour liberally and use the scraper to tuck the edges of the dough into a snug circle. Repeat for the other dough ball.
Transfer the dough balls on the baking parchment to your baking pan.
Sprinkle the dough balls with extra flour and put the whole pan inside a plastic bag. To make sure it doesn’t stick to the dough balls, I like to blow it full of air and secure the opening with a clip. Set aside in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour.
About half way through the rising time, put an empty baking pan or iron skillet on the bottom rack and preheat your oven to 450°F or 232°C.
Carefully remove the baking pan from the plastic bag. Put the kettle on now because you are going to need one cup or 240ml boiling water when you put the loaves in the oven.
Use a sharp knife or lame to score the dough. This will allow the loaves to rise and expand as they bake.
When your oven is sufficiently preheated, put the bread pan on the middle rack of your oven and carefully pour about 1 cup or 240ml boiling water into the empty pan or skillet on the bottom rack. Quickly close the oven door.
Bake the loaves for about 35-40 minutes or until they are golden and sound hollow when thumped.
Take the bread out and put it on a wire rack. Let the loaves cool completely before slicing.
Enjoy!
This month my Bread Bakers are all sharing bread recipes using a tangzhong. Check out the links below! Many thanks to our host, Karen of Karen’s Kitchen Stories!
- Easy Cinnamon Rolls from The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Eggless Nasturtium Greens Sandwich Bread (Tangzhong Method) from Cook with Renu
- Japanese Chocolate Milk Bread from Passion Kneaded
- Japanese Milk Bread Buns from Ambrosia
- Japanese Milk Bread Rolls from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Pineapple Buns (Bolo Bao) from Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Sourdough Pumpkin Babka from Zesty South Indian Kitchen
- Tangzhong Kolaches from A Messy Kitchen
- Tangzhong Loaf With Cinnamon Sugar Topping from Sneha's Recipe
- Tangzhong Pumpkin Cinnamon Buns from Magical Ingredients
- Tangzhong Sourdough Bread from Food Lust People Love
#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.
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