Salt Bread (Shiopan)

• servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

400 g bread flour

120 g cake flour

365 g water

30 g non-fat milk powder, or replace water above with liquid milk and skip this

26 g sugar

10 g salt

30-40 g cold unsalted butter, straight from fridge

7 g instant dry yeast

12 x 8-15 g butter chunks

pretzel salt

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add bread flour, cake flour, sugar, salt, milk powder, yeast, and cold water.

Mix with a dough hook on low speed until a shaggy, cohesive dough forms.

Add the unsalted butter (fridge-cold, not softened) and increase to medium speed.

Knead until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test (about 15–25 minutes, depending on your mixer).

Shape the dough into a smooth ball by rolling it taut.

Place into a bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size.

Test readiness by poking the dough with a floured finger — if the hole stays without springing back, it’s ready.

While the dough rises, cut 1.5 stick of salted butter into 12 even sticks (~15 g each, 1 stick of butter = 8 chunks).

Degas the dough and divide into 80 g portions.

Roll each into a smooth ball, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes (starting from the first ball you shaped).

Roll each ball into a long teardrop shape, keeping the top wider and the bottom narrower.

Start with the bottom half of the tear drop shape (narrower part.) Use a rolling pin to flatten the bottom half while using the other hand to slightly pull downward. Do the same for the upper half to flatten the wider end into a triangle base about the same width as your butter stick.

Place a butter stick at the wide end and roll down toward the point, gently tugging for tension.

Keep the seam side down on the tray.

Place rolls on non-stick baking tray (no parchment paper) with space between them.

Cover and let rise until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C).

Spray rolls lightly with water and sprinkle pretzel salt on top.

Just before baking, spray each roll generously (about 20 pumps) for added steam.

Lower oven to 400°F (204°C) and bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the tray halfway if needed for even browning.

Enjoy hot out of the oven — the bottoms will be crisp and buttery, the insides fluffy and soft.

Notes

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