Tangzhong is a game changer

Lately I’ve been trying my hand at baking milk breads, especially burger buns, but have never been happy about the structure, which often turned chewy and dense.

Enter tangzhong, which is a water roux that originated in East Asia and consists of flour cooked in water and milk. When added to the mix, it vastly improves the consistency of bread, making it as soft and airy as a cloud.

Tangzhong can be prepared in a matter of minutes. Combine roughly 2 parts wheat flour and 6 parts liquid (water, whole milk or a combination of both) and whisk until well incorporated. Keep whisking over medium-low heat — once the mixture hits 65 °C, the starch in the flour will quickly thicken and gelatinise. Once it reaches the consistency of pudding, you’re done! Wait until it cools to room temperature before you use it.

How much tangzhong will depend on the amount of bread you’re baking, and I intend to experiment with proportions over the coming weeks. You can start by setting aside around 5–10% of the total weight of flour in your recipe. Use these 5–10% to make your tangzhong, adjusting the liquid content accordingly.

The ingredients for the tangzhong are taken from the recipe amounts: set them aside, then mix and cook them separately before combining them with the rest of the dough.

Because the gelatinous starch will bind to more water molecules and prevent the gluten from retaining them, your dough might become stiffer and less likely to rise unless you increase your original recipe’s hydration. Again, I will want to experiment with it, but it seems 75% hydration is a good starting point for many recipes.