Condensed Milk Bread is pillowy soft and deliciously sweet with a beautiful crumb that’s a bliss to savour and a cinch to make.
Super soft and delicious Japanese Condensed Milk Bread is a delightful treat for breakfast, tea time, or any moment in between.
The addition of condensed milk gives it a rich, creamy sweetness that sets it apart from other types of bread. Not only is this bread easy to make, but it’s also a wonderful way to fill your home with the irresistible aroma of baking bread.
Condensed Milk Bread Recipe:
Japanese Condensed Milk Bread is perfect for those who appreciate a soft, fluffy loaf with a sweet twist. Whether enjoyed fresh out of the oven, toasted with a pat of butter, or used in sandwiches, this bread is a versatile and delightful addition to your baking repertoire.
Enjoy the rich, sweet flavour and tender crumb that only condensed milk can provide. This recipe will guide you through creating this delicious bread at home, ensuring each bite is as perfect as if it came from a Japanese bakery. Happy baking!
- To Make Japanese Condensed Milk Bread, firstly in a large mixing bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of sugar, warm milk, and yeast. Let the mixture sit until it becomes foamy, about 5 minutes.
- Mix in 1.5 cups of flour, the rest of the sugar, salt, condensed milk, and butter to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden ladle until well combined.
- Gradually add the reserved flour, a little at a time, to reduce stickiness, stirring continuously until a soft, sticky dough forms. You may not need all of the reserved flour.
- Generously flour a work surface. Transfer the dough onto the work surface and knead the dough for about 10 minutes, dusting with more flour as needed, until it becomes smooth and elastic. You can do this by hand or with a stand mixer using the dough hook attachment.
- Shape the kneaded dough into a ball and place in a bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 ½ hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, prepare the condensed milk filling by mixing the softened butter and condensed milk (room temperature) until it turns into a smooth paste.
- Butter a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
- After the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. Roll out the dough into a rectangle (12 x 8).
- Spread the softened butter and condensed milk filling evenly over the rectangle.
- Cut the rolled out dough lengthwise into 4 even strips.
- Then, stack the strips on top of each other with the filling side facing up.
- Now cut the stacked strips into 8 equal portions.
- Arrange the 8 portions in a loaf pan, with the long sides of the dough portions. It’s okay if they are some small empty spaces in the pan as it will be filled up once the dough starts to rise.
- Cover the loaf pan with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise again for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 325 F (162 Celsius).
- Sprinkle almond slivers and cherries on top of the risen dough.
- Place the loaf tin in the pre-heated oven.
- Bake the bread at 325 F (162C) for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 300 (148 C) then bake for 10-15 minutes more, or until the bread is light golden brown.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
- Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
- Enjoy the delightful taste of homemade Condensed Milk Bread!
If you are looking for more bread recipes, then do try out Bread Dosa Recipe
Condensed Milk Bread Serving Suggestions
- Toasted with a smear of butter and honey for breakfast.
- Paired with cream cheese or Nutella as a sweet treat.
- Used as a base for sandwiches, especially with egg salad or ham and cheese.
- Enjoyed plain with a piping hot cup of coffee or tea.
Japanese Milk Bread Variations
- Whole Wheat Version: Replace half the bread flour with whole wheat flour for a healthier alternative.
- Chocolate Milk Bread: Add 2 tbsp of cocoa powder to the dough and increase the sugar by 1 tbsp.
- Matcha Milk Bread: Mix 1–2 tsp of matcha powder into the dry ingredients for a subtle green tea flavor.
- Stuffed Bread: Fill with sweetened red bean paste, custard, or cream cheese for a decadent twist.
Tips for Perfect Japanese Bread
- Activate Yeast Properly: Ensure the milk is warm but not hot to activate the yeast effectively.
- Butter at Room Temperature: Softened butter incorporates better into the dough.
- Knead Thoroughly: Well-kneaded dough develops the gluten needed for elasticity and softness.
- Don’t Overproof: Over-proofing can cause the dough to collapse. Follow the rising times closely.
- Cool Before Slicing: Let the bread cool completely before cutting to maintain its structure.
Japanese Loaf Bread Recipe details below:
Japanese Condensed Milk Bread
Ingredients
To make the dough:
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 2/3 cup milk warm
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour plus an additional 5 tbsp.
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp. condensed milk at room temperature
- 2 tbsp. softened butter
For the Condensed Milk Filling
- 2 tbsp. softened butter
- 2 tbsp. condensed milk at room temperature
For the topping:
- ¼ cup cherries
- 1 tbsp. almond slivers
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the warm milk, 1 tsp sugar, and active dry yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for about 5 minutes, until it becomes frothy.
- Add 1 ½ cups flour, salt, the remaining sugar, condensed milk and softened butter to the frothy yeast mixture. Mix the ingredients together.
- Sprinkle the reserve flour, a little at a time and keep mixing till you get soft, sticky dough. You may not require all of the reserved flour.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. You can also use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment for this step, kneading on medium speed for about 7-8 minutes.
- Shape the kneaded dough into a ball. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 ½ hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the softened butter and condensed milk until smooth and creamy. Set the filling aside.
- Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air.
- Roll out the dough into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle.
- Spread the condensed milk filling over the rolled out. Then cut the dough vertically into four long strips.
- Place the strips on top of each other, with the filling side facing up.
- Cut the stacked dough into eight equal sections.
- Place the filled dough portions into a greased baking pan, as is. Any small empty spaces will be filled up once the dough starts to rise.
- Cover the baking pan with a cloth and let the dough rise again for about 1 hour or until it’s doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 325 F.
- Sprinkle cherries and almond slivers on top of the dough.
- Bake the bread at 325 F (162 C) for 20 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 300 (148 C) and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
- Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
- Enjoy creating and savouring this delightful Japanese Condensed Milk Bread.