Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan)

INGREDIENTS

For 1 Rectangular Shokupan Loaf (1.5 kin (斤) size)

• 250 g warm water (104ºF or 40ºC)
• 20 g sugar
• 7 g instant yeast (I use Fleischmann’s® bread machine yeast; 1 package of yeast (all types) weighs 7 g; make sure to use all the granules; to substitute active dry for instant yeast, use 25% more active dry; proof active yeast by dissolving it in the warm water from the recipe first until many small bubbles appear)
• 7 g kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; use half for table salt)
• 10 g honey
• 350 g bread flour (King Arthur)
• 20 g skim milk powder or nonfat dry milk powder (Bob’s Red Mill)
• 25 g unsalted butter (room temperature)

For Greasing

• ½ tsp neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, rice bran, canola, etc.) (for greasing the bowl)
• 10 g unsalted butter (room temperature; for greasing the pan; you can use cooking oil spray, but I like the taste of butter around the crust)