Jam-Filled Hokkaido Milk Rolls
A few months ago, I saw one of the most perfectly quaint and moody food photoshoots I have ever seen. The photos were of Strawberry Poppy Seed Hokkaido Milk Buns made by Aimee of Twigg Studios. If you have a chance, I highly recommend checking out her photography.
Not only were her photos amazing, but her recipe was also genius. I had made Hokkaido milk bread (using the recipe in my Bread Illustrated cookbook) many times before. However, I never thought to turn this recipe into rolls. For those who aren't familiar, Hokkaido milk bread is a pillowy soft bread that originated in Hokkaido, Japan — a prefecture known for its rich and creamy milk.
In this recipe, I adapted Bread Illustrated's Japanese Milk Bread loaf recipe into a roll recipe and added a swirl of jam in the middle. The result is a fluffy, lightly sweet roll with a flavorful jam filling. You could make an icing to match these rolls, but I think they are plenty sweet without frosting.
Let me know what you think of the recipe and don't forget to follow the sustainability tips below!
Time: 3 hours
Make: 6 large rolls
Ingredients
2 cups plus 3 tablespoons bread flour
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons softened butter, plus 1 tablespoon melted butter
8 tablespoons jam of choice
Note: Don't choose a jam that is too runny because it will melt out of the rolls in the oven.
Steps
In a small microwave-safe bowl, whisk 3 tablespoons bread flour with 1/2 cup water. Microwave the mixture for 40-80 seconds, or until it has a pudding-like texture, stopping every 20 seconds to whisk and check the texture.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the paste, milk and egg until fully combined. Add the yeast and remaining flour and stir or mix on low until no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
Add the sugar and salt. Then knead the dough, by hand or on low speed, for 5 minutes. Continue kneading as you add the softened butter to the mixture one tablespoon at a time. Once the butter is fully incorporated, turn the mixer to medium-low or continue kneading by hand. Knead until the dough is smooth springy, about 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes in the mixer.
Form the dough into a smooth, round ball and place it seam-side down in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel, bees wrap or a silicone bowl cover and let rest for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size. Toward the end of the dough's rise time, preheat the oven to 350 F.
After the dough has risen, grease a 10-inch oven-proof skillet. Press down on the dough to deflate any large air bubbles and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Press and roll into a 16-inch by 12-inch rectangle with the long side parallel to the counter.
Gently spread the jam over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the perimeter of the dough. Starting with one of the long sides, roll the dough into a cylinder. Trim the ends, then cut into 6 even rolls. Transfer the rolls to the greased skillet and cover them loosely. Let the rolls rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until they've filled out the skillet. Bake rolls for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter and serve warm!
Sustainability Tips
Egg: Local eggs are really easy to find if you look for them. Buying locally means your eggs won't have to travel as far, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy use.
Flour: I like to buy King Arthur Flour brand because King Arthur Flour is a B Corp. That means that they're held to a high environmental and social standard. Alternatively, you could find a farmer who grows and mills flour locally. Buying locally can help connect you to your local food system and cut back on the miles your food has to travel.
Sugar: I like to buy coconut sugar because it's easy to find fair-trade varieties, but fair-trade granulated sugar is another great option here. Read all about it in my sustainable cane sugars post!
Butter: Since cows contribute a lot to climate change by releasing methane, I like to buy my dairy products from B Corps, which are held to really high environmental and social standards. You could also try out vegan dairy options if you're feeling adventurous, but these might affect the final rolls.
Jam: Your best bet here is to use jam that you grew, cooked and canned yourself. However, you can also get organic or locally canned jammed to cut down on pesticide contamination and excessive greenhouse gas emissions during travel.