Hokkaido Milk Bread (Sourdough)
Target 72% hydration · loaf pan · bake at 350°F
Hokkaido milk bread uses the tangzhong technique — a pre-cooked flour/water paste (1:5 ratio, heated to 65°C) mixed into the main dough. This gelatinizes some starches, enabling extra moisture retention and an incredibly soft, pillowy crumb that stays fresh for days. Add milk (15% flour weight), butter (10%), and mild sugar (8%) for the signature Asian-bakery character.
- Hydration
- 72%
- Salt
- 1.50%
- Levain
- 15–20%
- Bulk @ 76°F
- 2.50h
- Proof @ 76°F
- 3.00h
- Bake temp
- 350°F
- Bake time
- 35m
- Vessel
- loaf pan
Flour mix
- bread flour — 100%
Technique
Make tangzhong: 25g bread flour + 125g water, heat in pan stirring to 65°C until thick paste. Cool. Combine tangzhong with other dough ingredients + levain. Knead 10 min. 2.5h bulk. Divide into 3 pieces, roll each into rectangle, fold thirds, roll into coil. Place coils side-by-side in oiled loaf pan. Proof 3h until risen 1 inch above pan. Bake 350°F for 30-35 min until golden and internal 190°F.
Calculator pre-set to Hokkaido Milk Bread (Sourdough)'s target (72%)
Adjust the slider for personal preference within the workable 68–78% range.
- Flour to add
- 450 g
- Water to add
- 310 g
- Salt
- 10 g
- Levain @ 100%
- 100 g
- Total dough
- 870 g
- Effective hydration
- 72%
How the math works
Total water = flour × hydration %. Your levain contributes 50 g flour + 50 g water — both count toward the totals. You add only the remainder as fresh flour and water.
Salt % is computed on total flour weight, not final-dough flour.
To bake this recipe you need
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Related references on this site
- 72% hydration reference page — crumb structure, technique notes, other recipes at this hydration
- Flour spec: bread flour — protein, ash, absorption — 100% of this recipe's mix
- Hydration deep-dive for this recipe — workable range 68–78%
- Timing by kitchen temperature — bulk + proof times at 60-90°F using Modernist Bread multipliers
- Guide: baker's percentage explained — the math underlying every formula on this page
- All 25 recipes — grouped by category (lean, enriched, hearth, pan)
- Baking schedule & timeline — the full timeline from feed to bake, and how temperature moves it
- Water temperature calculator — hit the target dough temperature this formula assumes
The gear that makes the math work
A short, honest baking kit. The scale matters most — every weight on this page is in grams. The Dutch oven is what turns a good crumb into a great crust.
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