Tiger Stripe Shokupan 食パン
If you’ve been baking Shokupan 食パン using this recipe, and would like to make it a little more fun & interesting, here’s another Shokupan design to explore — tiger stripe
For this recipe, I am using a 230g loaf tin with lid opened as this bread looks nicer taller with a dome
INGREDIENTS BELOW
220g Bread Flour
3g Instant Yeast
30g Fine Sugar
3g Fine Salt
90ml Whole Milk (store bought milk is fine)
10ml Whole Milk (to keep aside to add into coloured & non-coloured dough kneading later)
1 Egg (whisked) — weighs around 57g to 60g
20g Unsalted Butter
For Black Stripe
1 tsp Rawnice Activated Charcoal Powder
I am using natural food colouring from Rawnice — you can get the sample sizes as they’re lesser in volume per pack
For this recipe, you can use a 250g loaf tin (lid closed to give a nice square Shokupan shape) You can get it here
OR
You can use a 230g loaf tin (open lid to give a nice domed Shokupan). You can get it here .
**This is a bread dough with a hydration level of 73% as we will be adding 5ml each into the organic powders**
DOUGH PREP METHOD BELOW:
1) Sieve bread flour into mixing bowl. Add in yeast & sugar then whisk it to incorporate the dry ingredients evenly. Add in milk (90ml only), egg & salt
**For Standmixer user, please skip steps 2–6 and use my stand mixer method here under “Standmixer 101” section**
2) Use hand mixer with dough hook at Speed 2 (low) to knead the dough for about 2mins. Once you see the dough structure start to form, add in butter (fold in dough with your hand to cover the butter) and continue kneading for another 3mins
[Note : Rest handmixer for about 30secs or so after adding butter to prolong the “life” of your hand mixer. Do not use hand mixers below 300watts cause it will just burn out. If you’re using stand mixer, you’re absolutely safe]
3) You will see the dough forming into a scraggly ball at about the 3rd minute onwards after you add in the butter. If you have been trying out my Soft Milk Buns recipe, this dough texture is almost similar
4) Move dough to a clean surface to start hand kneading. Use a spatula to transfer every bit out
5) DO NOT succumb to the temptation of dusting the surface with flour as it will reduce the hydration level of the dough. Try using a plastic/marble/any smooth surface for this.
Take a deep breath, warm up your arms & elbow for a good workout in the next steps!
6) Start to slap & fold your dough by pulling up the whole dough & slapping it down gently. Repeat this motion by taking the dough nearest to your body, fold it front then pulling up the dough and slapping it down gently again. Continue to hand knead for 10 minutes
7) At the 10th minute, stop kneading (stop on standmixer as well) & weigh the dough then divide it into 2 equal portions. Put either half of the dough under a cling wrap
8) In 2 separate bowls, pour in the Activated Charcoal Powder (to dilute with 5ml milk) into the first bowl and balance 5ml milk into the second bowl. Take the uncovered half of the dough & put it into the bowl with Charcoal Powder. The dough will start to be tacky as you’re adding liquid to it but keep kneading in the bowl until the dough absorbs all the liquid colour. Once the liquid is absorbed into the dough, transfer it to the surface top to continue kneading-in the colour till it is even for approx. 5mins
Repeat for the other half of the dough hydrated with 5ml of milk. I kneaded both dough with both my hands (one left and one right)
The reason why the the 5ml is kneaded in later to the non-coloured dough is so the hydration level would be the same for both dough. In other circumstances where you’re playing with 2 stripe colours, you would be diluting this 5ml into that coloured powder instead
**If you are using Standmixer, just throw the dough into the mixer and add in the diluted charcoal to knead at Speed 4 for 5mins. Do this for the other dough as well — put the dough into the mixer and add in the 5ml milk to knead**
9) Test your dough by stretching it to see if it stretches well without breaking immediately & if it passes the “window pane test”. You can start your 1st proofing once this is done.
10) Smoothen up & lightly tighten the dough then place them into a bowl (dusted with flour — remove any remaining flour in the bowl) Cover with a cling wrap or towel. Proof it for 1hr or till double in size
9) After 1hr, remove the dough from mixing bowl. This recipe yields around 420g of dough (210g each)
10) Press down each dough gently with your fingers to remove the air bubbles then pre-shape it lightly into a ball and let it rest under cling wrap for 15mins to allow gluten to strengthen itself
11) Roll out each dough into a rectangular shape using a rolling pin to a size of approx 14cmW x 25cmH
12) Place both dough above each other and roll over it slightly and then start to cut the dough to form 6 separate sections as if you’re preparing for a braid
13) Start to twist each section into a loose swirl then bring each section close together. Then roll the dough from top to bottom — no sealing at the ends required as the dough would somehow tuck itself in nicely
14) Cover the tin with cling wrap/cloth & proof it for another 50mins or until dough reaches around 2cm below the rim of the pan. Depending on the temperature in your home, some cooler condition require a little longer proofing. Normally the rule of thumb is, dough doubling in size. Proofing time of 50mins – 1hour seem like a norm for me as my home is air conditioned most of the time
AIR FRYER BAKING METHOD BELOW:
1) Pre-heat AF @ 155degrees for 5mins
2) Bake @ 155degrees for 10mins followed by 145degrees for 8mins (do not open the Air Fryer) Do test your temperature and adjust accordingly. High temperature will have your dough rise too fast & cause air holes below your crust (hence the dent in) and may also affect the crust texture
You can bake your Shokupan with or without the lid closed. Open lid baking will give you a dome shaped loaf while a closed lid baking will give you a squarish flat top loaf
3) Remove your Shokupan from the AF to be cooled on rack
4) Let your Shokupan cool for at least 2 hours before you slice them. This is to allow the loaf structure to settle otherwise, you may risk causing a small dense layer at the bottom due to the pressure of pressing the loaf while slicing. I prefer to cool mine overnight before slicing them to keep in my air tight container (for overnight cool down, I would usually remove my AF tray basket & put it on a cooling rack, move my Shokupan onto it and cover with a cotton cloth)
Hope this recipe helps all AF bakers out there. Do try to batch test for the right temperature and bake timing since Air Fryers may vary due to different circumstances (usage frequency, size and model)
MORE RECIPES HERE :)
