Even in some of the worst situations you can still find a bright spot. When the Coronavirus lockdown started one year ago I started experimenting with making my own bread, because my favorite bakery, Maison Kayser, completely closed down. I developed the recipe for myself, adding more of this, less of that, refining the recipe over months until I had something pretty much perfect. It’s so delicious, I decided to share it with you.
This bread is fluffy like a sponge and moist, which is the kind of bread I love. A couple of tips: don’t worry about killing your yeast with heat, because the cold milk keeps the hot butter lukewarm. I used unbleached all purpose flour in the video but you could use bread flour or even whole wheat flour. You could also use less sugar if you are trying to cut down. But if you follow my directions carefully I guarantee you will make the same bread I prefer.
Maison Kayser eventually went into bankruptcy and will never reopen, which is very sad. But the good news is that I learned how to make my own bread and it’s something I’ll be able to do for the rest of my life. Some people think rice is for Asians and bread is for Westerners, but I figured out this bread recipe all by myself and it’s exactly how I like it.
I hope you like it, too!
Ingredients
Makes 2 loaves of bread.
I use these nonstick baking pans, and this is the flour I like to use.
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1½ cup cold milk (whole or skim milk)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 package of instant or active dry yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups all purpose wheat flour (or bread flour) plus for more for dusting (here’s the brand I like to use)
Directions
Make dough:
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the milk and sugar. Stir well until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the yeast and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes until everything is foamy.
- Add the salt and the eggs. Mix well with a whisk, until the mixture is smooth and even.
- Add the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. Knead the dough by hand for about 4 to 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Cover and let it rise for 2 hours at room temperature until double in size.
Shaping:
- Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and divide into 2 equal pieces.
- Knead each piece to remove air bubbles and shape into a ball.
- Flatten one of the dough balls with your hands or with a rolling pin into roughly a 7” x 6” rectangle. Roll it up to a log and place into a greased loaf pan. I use my 2 non-stick 8½” x 4½” x 2¾” loaf pans, which don’t need grease.
- Do the same thing with the other dough ball.
- Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour, or until it rises 1 inch above the top of the loaf pans.
Baking:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Bake the bread for about 25 to 30 minutes on the middle rack until light brown.
- Remove from the heat and enjoy!
How to store bread:
- Store the bread in a plastic bags or airtight containers in the fridge up to 1 week, or freeze up to a month.
Maangchi's Amazon picks for this recipe
It's always best to buy Korean items at your local Korean grocery store, but I know that's not always possible so I chose these products on Amazon that are good quality. See more about how these items were chosen.
Hi Maangchi!
This bread recipe is fabulous – after watching your video you inspired me to try this recipe and I’m so glad I did! I used whole wheat flour, followed your instructions, and the bread turned out perfect! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
That’s fantastic! I’m thrilled to hear that you loved your homemade bread!
Well it just came out of the oven and I am throwing away all of my old bread recipes as this one tops them all. The texture is out of this world. Will be making this for thanksgiving dinner this year!!! Thank you sooooo much for doing the hard work and coming up with such a crowd pleaser.
In the process of trying this right now. Fear I may have messed up kneading in more flour as it was stuck to me and the surface. I am not sure how to knead the dough when it is sooo very sticky. I am hoping it rises and bakes okay. We will see.
Baked yeast pastry, such as bread, was always a nightmare to me. Not anymore! First time in my 40 years of life I cooked bread, that doesn’t turn into a brick next morning. Even my daughter loves it and she hates everything! Thank you so much!
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Maangchi:
Thank you for being a real life (very real, not fake) person and always share your wonderful cooking!
My sister has introduced your shows to me for many years now. I’ve tried many bread recipes but this is by far the best and easiest! I will post pictures when I make more!
I don’t have any pics because the bread did not last long enough to take any pics, I have to say thank you so much this is by far the best recipe I have used so far and I try a lot of different recipes, thank you again
Made homemade bread with Maangchi’s recipe, so easy!
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Awesome!
Hi Maangchi, Thank you so much for the amazing recipe. I have tried several times and I’m pleased and happy with the result. The bread is fluffy and buttery… yummy! God Bless:o)
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Yes, I can almost smell your delicious bread, too! Congratulations!
Easy, fun, and delicious! This recipe was easy and fun to make with family. Turned out moist and delicious. Since I used disposable load pans, they were smaller in size, so I made three loafs. Fantastic for sharing with loved ones!
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“Fantastic for sharing with loved ones!” Yay, I’m so happy to hear that!
Did you use a egg wash for the top to have that beautiful shine?
For years, I’ve been using Maangchi’s recipes with much success but I’ve never posted any comments on her website (plenty on YouTube). Today is the first time because I really am amazed by the bread I made and needed to show it off.
Who knew it was so easy? Thank you Maangchi for all the amazing recipes throughout the years!
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Yup, yup! I know how you felt when you made such fluffy bread that smells so good!
Oh, Maangchi, I love your videos and just bought your cookbook. I made the bread today and it was indeed easy and sooo good. Thank you, God bless!
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Wow, it looks perfect!
At first I was really hesitant with the dough but then as time went on it started to rise. It was quite sticky so that made me anxious if I did the right thing. But then, it turned out to be how it really was. Maybe because the yeast did not fully foam up just as it was in the photo. The result was really fluffy and buttery loaf ❤❤❤ this recipe deserves a spot on our fridge for easy cooking!! Thank you maangchi!!! Now on to making other recipes from you
Oh and btw, I have tried your fried chicken recipe and hotteok already and it was absolutely delish! ❤❤
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Amazing looking fluffy bread that’s what you made! Congratulations!
Can i split the recipe in half? I only want to make one loaf.
Of course you can.
I am attempting this but i live in Australia so had to do a lot of research on the conversions ratios. Hoping for the best.
Hi!I made your wonderful bread it turned out perfect its probably the best loaves.I have ever made Your recipe is exquisite Thank you from Greece !
I am new to bread making. I’ve made bread by machine and by hand and a combination of both. The bread has been ok to goodish..This is by far the BEST bread recipe I’ve found. Definitely my go to.
Cool! Happy to hear that! I make this bread on a regular basis.
Hi! Can I replace the wheat flour with chickpea flour?
Hi Mangchi,
I love the bread recipe and plan on making it as soon as I get my pans. Can you please tell me if the pot you use to mix the milk with the yeast is from Calphalon? I have been looking for one for a long time.
Thanks
Yes, it is from Calphalon.
First try, I’d only read the instructions. The dough was so sticky, I thought I needed to add more flour. Bad move! It didn’t rise as well as I’d hoped. The loaves were kind of flat on top. They tasted good, though!
This second time around, I watched the video, and I could see the dough was _supposed_ to be sticky during the first knead. So I did like Maangchi did: 4 cups flour, a disposable glove (nice tip!), and kneading 300 times. I’m a lot happier with how my loaves turned out!
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I’m happy to hear that you love the outcome and enjoyed your bread! But I think it could be even fluffier! Be sure to let the dough rise for 2 hours, and then let it sit 1 hour after forming the loaves. Then after you bake it, it will be much much fluffier!
And instead of 300 times, you can knead maybe 350 times? : )
350? Ouch, my arm! I will need to get stronger. :D
These loaves actually got extra time rising, both in the bowl and then in the loaf pans, but we do live a mile above sea level, so bread can be a little touchy. We’ll keep trying!
Thank you so much! This recipe will be used for the rest of my life, it’s absolutely delicious!
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Amazing bread. Will definitely make again and again!
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OMG! How did you make it shiny? Share the tip with us, please. The bread looks so fluffy and handsome! I make this bread every other week ever since I developed this recipe.
Egg wash, I think!
I also tuned them into rolls
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Ow ow, these 6 buns are like balloons! Where are they going to go, up, up! Up to the air! : )
This has been my favorite bread recipe after trying both the bread flour and all purpose I have to say my go to is bread flour gives a bouncy soft texture I have also turned them into rolls
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Awesome! I can tell your bread is soft like sponge!
can i use white flour
Hi, Sanne!
I’m not Maangchi, but if you haven’t already made this delicious bread, I’d recommend “Large” eggs, around 60g; that’s sort of standard for US baking. (I have hens in my backyard that lay 67g eggs!) Best wishes :-)
~Marina
Thank you for your reply!
That would be medium to large here.
Thank you so much! I tried this recipe. It was my first time baking bread! It turned out really delicious and everyone at home also loved it!
Just a question – Can I also try the recipe without eggs, or any vegetarian substitute for the eggs? (I would also like to bake this for my dad, who unfortunately doesn’t eat eggs!). Thanks again :)
You can use chickpea water (from the can) or flaxseed powder mixed with water. Or you can use tapioca, or other thickening powders I believe.
I couldn’t sleep and saw I had a letter from Maangchi. It was full of tasty looking recipes, but the only ingredients I had on hand were for the fluffy white bread, so I made mini loaves to share with my mother and brother!
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Your mini loaves look so cute and delicious!
My husband baked this earlier than me.
He really glad to see your recipe and sent me photo from Tokyo.
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Looks good!
What’s the size of the eggs you use?