Light & Pillowy Condensed Milk Bread Recipe

Showing the side of a condensed milk bread loaf sitting on a cooling rack.

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5 from 16 votes

Light & Pillowy Condensed Milk Bread Recipe

Condensed Milk Bread, or sweet milk bread, is made with an incredibly soft dough making for the fluffiest bread.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Proofing3

Total Time3 40

Course: All Recipes, Bread

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: bread, condensed milk, condensed milk bread, hokkaido bread, japanese milk bread, milk bread

Servings:

Calories: 334kcal

Author: Kimberlee Ho

Equipment

Ingredients

For the dough

1 cup whole milk slightly warm (80º - 90ºF)
1 tablespoon instant yeast
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg lightly beaten
3 ¼ cups bread flour sifted or whisked to aerate
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature, cubed

For the egg wash

1 large egg room temperature
1 tablespoon whole milk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm milk. Sprinkle the yeast on top and stir to combine.
1 cup whole milk, 1 tablespoon instant yeast
Add condensed milk and egg then flour and salt.
½ cup sweetened condensed milk, 1 large egg, 3 ¼ cups bread flour, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Using the dough hook, mix on low speed until the ingredients start to come together. Increase speed to medium-low.
Add the butter, a little at a time. Continue kneading the dough until the butter pieces are no longer visible. The dough will be slightly sticky and will likely stick to the bottom or the bowl, but should not stick to the sides. If it’s sticking to the sides, continue kneading for a bit longer. You can add more flour, up to ¼ cup, 1 tablespoons at a time, but do so sparingly and only if needed.
Check the dough has been properly kneaded by performing the windowpane test*.
¼ cup unsalted butter
With lightly oiled hands so the dough doesn’t stick, shape the dough into a ball. Doesn’t have to be perfect. Place the dough in a bowl that’s been lightly greased with vegetable oil, seam side down.
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm spot (~75-80ºF) for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size
Meanwhile, line a loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing some overhang, and set aside. If making rolls, line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
After the dough has risen, gently punch it down and turn it out onto a clean, lightly floured work surface.
Divide the dough into 3 large pieces, roughly the same size. If making rolls, divide the dough into 12 equally sized pieces, about 3 ounces each.
Shape each piece into a tight ball.
Place the pieces of dough, seam side down, next to each other in the pan. They will be touching.
For rolls, place in 4 rows of 3 rolls.
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until the top of dough is level with the rim of the pan, about 30-40 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Whisk together the egg and milk to make the egg wash. Gently brush the tops of the dough with egg wash.
1 large egg, 1 tablespoon whole milk
Bake in the preheated oven 22-25 minutes or until the tops of the rolls are a deep golden brown. For rolls, bake 18-20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn out the loaf onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely before serving.

Notes

*To perform the windowpane test, pinch of a golf-ball sized piece of dough. I use my bench scraper to cut off a piece. Then, gently stretch the dough out, turning it slightly in your hands as you do, so you’re stretching it into a circle. The dough should remain intact and become translucent, allowing light to shine through it (hence the term, windowpane test) without breaking. If the dough breaks, knead it for a couple of more minutes and perform the test again.
Store cooled bread at room temperature in a plastic bag, bread bag or wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 5 days.
Store in the fridge up to one week.

Nutrition