Tangzhong is a gelatinous paste that will totally transform your bread game. It’s a flour and water (or milk) mix, that’s whisked to a thick paste and then added to bread doughs to increase the moisture which gives you an incredibly soft, fluffy texture.
What type of bread recipes can you try it in?
Tangzhong works especially well in enriched doughs that already have high hydration (75% and over), such as Japanese-style milk loaves and brioche. It can also be a great way to introduce softness without having to add extra fats, like egg yolks and butter.
Which liquid is best?
You can use both water and milk (dairy or plant), or a mixture of both when making your tangzhong paste. Using all milk will result in a slightly darker bake and more tender crumb, due to the extra fat content.
How do you make it:
For a loaf that uses 500g flour, whisk together 40g strong white flour with 125ml water or milk in a small pan until smooth and combined. Pop on a medium heat and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until very thick. Scrape into a bowl and leave to cool completely before adding to your desired dough.
Alice Shields is Senior Cookery Writer for Good Housekeeping. A trained pastry chef, you’ll find her food styling on photo shoots, developing delicious recipes and writing about all things food. She loves to bake and her favourite pudding will always be a chocolate fondant. Originally hailing from Lancashire, she finally achieved her goal of getting a butter pie recipe into the magazine.
