Froggy Milk Bread (Matcha or Pandan flavor) without the Tangzhong Method: Make the Viral Subtle Asian Baking Froggy Milk Bread

Hi friends! Mama Kat here. I’ve been baking a lot of bread. (Who hasn’t, lol?) And who hasn’t seen the cute froggy cakes from Oracle Bakery yet? Well, here are cute froggy milk buns by subtle asian baking and the Phil and Mama team!

Milk bread is straightforward to make. It is soft, fluffy, and light, and it can usually stay covered for a few days on the countertops before needing refrigeration. Quick toasting will bring your bread back to life!

There are some tricks we’ve learned when making milk bread. Egg washes are not necessary. Cover the bread mid-bake with aluminum foil to prevent burning. If you underbake your milk bread, it will sink or be too dense instead of springy.

Finally, you don’t want to over-proof or over-knead your bread. And with this method, you don’t need a thick roux or starter. You need to activate the yeast in warm milk! Now let’s get baking! I never understand why there’s lengthy wording right before the recipe. I mean you’re here for the recipe, not for a long chat, lol!

Yield

9 buns

Author

Kat Lieu

Prep time

62 Min

Cook time

30 Min

Inactive time

90 Min

Total time

3 H & 1 M

Print

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Fluffy Soft and Delicious Viral Froggy Milk Bread (Tangzhong Method) Matcha or Pandan flavor

Make a delicious fluffy and soft viral froggy milk buns using a simple #tangzhong method and flavor them with matcha or pandan to make them green!

Ingredients

• 350 g bread flour
• 75 g sugar (less if you want the bread less sweet)
• 1 packet of dry yeast (7-8g)
• 1 large egg (egg replacement OK)
• 170 ml warm milk (coconut milk OK) (heat milk for 30 seconds in microwave until 110F)
• 2 tablespoons or 30 g softened butter (vegan butter OK)
• Pinch of salt or a teaspoon of miso paste
• 1 tablespoon matcha powder or a teaspoon of pandan extract 
• Chocolate syrup for decorating the froggies 

Instructions

1. Combine the flour, salt or miso paste, and sugar and set aside. (If using matcha powder, add matcha powder to dry ingredients.)
2. Combine the yeast, with a pinch of sugar, with the warm milk. Mix and then set aside for 10 minutes. (If using pandan extract, add the pandan extract here.)
3. Using low mixing (level 2 on Kitchen aide) and the dough hook, mix the dry together. Whisk the egg into the milk, and then slowly pour into the dry ingredients. Knead with mixer for about 10 minutes. If the dough looks too dry, add in a little milk. If the dough is too wet closing in on 10 minutes of mixing, add more flour. 
4. You should have a nice kneadable bread dough after 10 minutes, it should not be sticky, but it should also not be dry. Cover and set aside for about 10 minutes in a warm place. (Proof in oven is OK.)
5. Add the softened butter (30g) to the dough and knead for another 10 minutes on low. Check to see if you get window pane effect when you stretch the dough. Again it should not be sticky, should not be dry. You can add more flour to a sticky dough. 
6. Roll into a ball. Cover and set aside for about 15 minutes in a warm space. It should increase in size by a little. 
7. Remove the dough and roll into a ball, then divide it into 9 equal pieces (about 75g each, and set aside a piece of dough for the eyes). Turn each piece into a smooth ball. Place them evenly into a 7inch x 7 inch square baking dish. For the eyes, roll 2g balls of the remaining dough as the eyes and to stick them onto the buns, spray a little water onto the bottom of the eyeball dough. 
8. Proof in oven or a warm space for about an hour. The buns should puff up nicely and there shouldn't be a lot of space between each bun.
9. Brush with egg wash if you like a shinier top. Bake at 325F for about 30 minutes. Please cover the top with aluminum foil at about 15 of baking minutes to avoid burning the top.
10. Serve warm! Decorate the eyes and mouths using the chocolate syrup and a toothpick :)
11. Troubleshooting: If the dough is too wet, add a little bread flour. If the dough is too dry, add a little milk. Must be well incorporated and kneaded.

Notes:

If the buns sink in the middle, or get wrinkly, they are under baked. Store your buns in the fridge for them to last longer. Serve fresh and warm, with a slab of butter, some condensed milk, honey, chocolate sauce, jam, or just by themselves :)

Recipe COPYRIGHT © PHILANDMAMA.COM 2020, Phil and Mama, LLC. All rights reserved. You may not use any photographs of Phil and Mama Kat without both verbal and written consent from the owners of www.philandmama.com.

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