Shokupan

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Shokupan is a traditional milk bread. This soft, fluffy, slightly sweet bread is a breakfast staple in the country and it's usually enjoyed sliced thick, toasted, and served with butter or jam. It's made with a combination of flour, milk, sugar, yeast, butter, and salt. The reason why this bread is so soft and fluffy is because it's made with the yudane method – bread flour and hot boiling water are mixed together, and the water gelatinizes the starch in the process. The starch can take in more water and it also increases the sweetness of the bread. Once formed, the bread is usually placed into square-shaped baking molds and it's then baked in the oven.