Soft Pull-Apart Milk Bread Recipe

Without question bread holds a special place in our hearts, with a fresh loaf effortlessly evoking a sense of comfort and nostalgia. The aroma of freshly baked bread can transport us back to fond memories of home and family gatherings, creating a warm and cozy feeling. There are countless types of bread out there, from classic sourdough to more trendy types, like milk bread.

Milk bread, which originated in Japan, is a popular type of bread that has gained popularity for its unique texture and flavor. Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe for soft pull-apart milk bread and says, "This bread is pillowy soft and has a delicate sweetness that is so delicious. It can be served with butter and jam for breakfast, or it can be dipped into a hearty stew or soup." Hahn does note that the bread takes quite some time to make because there are many steps involved, but if you are going to be home anyway, the steps are easy, and the outcome is impressive. "There's nothing quite like this pull-apart bread," Hahn adds, so follow along to enjoy the soft, pillowy goodness for yourself.

To make this recipe we only need a short list of ingredients and if you're a baker of sorts, you may have all of the ingredients right in your fridge and pantry. To start we'll need some milk, as the name suggests. You can use whole milk, 2% milk, or even plant-based milk. Then we'll need some active dry yeast, sweetened condensed milk, sugar, salt, bread flour, and butter. "The bread flour is important here because it has a higher protein count and will give us the rise we are looking for," Hahn shares. "You can use salted butter if that is what you have on hand, just reduce or omit the added salt."

To get the dough started, pull out a large bowl and add the warm milk. "Make sure the milk is warm to the touch and not hot or it will kill the yeast we are trying to activate," Hahn remarks. Then sprinkle the yeast on top and let this sit for 10 minutes. It will lightly bubble on top. Now add ¼ cup condensed milk, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine. Add the flour and stir to combine then add ¼ cup melted butter. Mix to form a dough, then cover with saran wrap and let it sit for 30 minutes.

"The beauty of making this bread is you don't need to own a stand mixer. We'll do some short kneading sets combined with 3 rest periods before dividing it up," Hahn says. After 30 minutes, knead the dough in the bowl for about 20 seconds. Cover the bowl and let it sit for another 30 minutes, then knead again for 20 seconds and let it sit for 30 more minutes.

Now that the dough has gone through several rest periods, it's time to shape it. Start by dividing the dough into five portions and rolling each one into a ball. Cover them on your work surface and let them sit for 30 minutes.

Place one ball in the center of a 9-inch round cake pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Roll out the remaining balls into an oblong shape about 8 inches long, then roll them up to form a cylinder. Cut each rolled up cylinder into four sections. 

Now all of your dough pieces are ready to go into the pan. Assemble the cylinder pieces around the center ball and cover. Let this sit for 30 minutes and it will expand so all the dough sections are touching. When you have about 10 minutes left on the resting time period, preheat the oven to 350 F.

At this point we are ready to bake the bread. "The bread is so delicious when it's warm and just out of the oven, so at this step you can let this sit covered until you are close to the time you want to serve it," Hahn recommends. When you are ready to bake it, put the pan into the oven for 15 minutes.

While the bread is cooking, combine the remaining butter and condensed milk in a small bowl and stir with a whisk. When the bread comes out of the oven, brush it with the butter mixture and serve right away. Whether you are a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, you are going to want to make this milk bread every time you are craving something soft and sweet!