Shio Pan (Salt Bread)

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Prepare the tangzhong: In a medium saucepan, whisk the all-purpose flour and water until no lumps remain. Heat over medium, whisking constantly, until the mixture develops a thick pudding consistency, 3 to 4 minutes. Once thickened and bubbling, turn the heat to low and whisk for 30 seconds more. Pour into the bowl of your stand mixer and leave for 15 minutes, or until it is lukewarm.

2. Step 2

   Make the dough: Whisk the cold milk into the tangzhong, then add the bread flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a firm but still slightly sticky dough forms. Rest the dough for 5 minutes, then mix on low speed, adding the softened butter one teaspoon at a time, waiting for each piece of butter to be 80 percent incorporated before adding the next.

3. Step 3

   Once all the butter has been added, continue mixing on medium speed. After 10 minutes, check the gluten development: Can you stretch a small piece of dough to a translucent window without it tearing? If not, rest the dough for 5 minutes, then mix for 5 minutes more, repeating this process until you reach full gluten development and the dough passes the window pane test.

4. Step 4

   Scrape the dough onto a clean work surface and perform a few slap and folds: Slide your hands under the dough and lift it from the middle to release it from the work surface, then slap the bottom half of the dough down, quickly stretching the top half up and over to release it. Repeat this motion several times. This helps give your dough a smooth surface, builds tension and improves gluten development. 

5. Step 5

   Shape the dough into a tight ball and place it into a lightly greased bowl. Cover and leave to rise until doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes depending on the ambient temperature in the room. (Dough tends to rise faster in warm spaces.) If it hasn’t doubled, leave it for longer.

6. Step 6

   While your dough is proofing, prepare the butter block filling: Cut the butter into ten 1½- by 1-inch blocks (about 22 grams each). It’s OK if you have to jigsaw bits of butter together to get the weight right (and the weight is more important than the shape). Place pieces on a clean plate or small tray lined with parchment paper and refrigerate or freeze until you are ready to shape. Before shaping, brush vegetable oil (1 to 2 teaspoons) on 2 rimmed baking sheets to lightly coat them. 

7. Step 7

   To shape the buns, turn the dough onto a very lightly floured work surface while deflating it. Divide into 10 equal pieces (70 to 80 grams each). Shape into tight balls, then cover with a damp clean tea towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 5 minutes. Roll each ball with the palm of your hand, using a back-and-forth motion, into a 4- to 5-inch log. Cover and rest for another 5 minutes.

8. Step 8

   For the final shaping, use two hands and a back-and-forth rolling motion to lengthen each log of dough to approximately 12 inches. If the dough resists rolling, let it relax for a few more minutes, until it easily lengthens as you roll it. As the dough gets to the correct length, put slightly more pressure on your right hand so the dough becomes narrower on that side and forms a slightly pointed tip. If the dough sticks, add a little flour but not too much or the dough will be difficult to shape.

9. Step 9

   Place the lengthened, pointy log of dough in front of you, then, using a rolling pin and adding a little flour if needed, roll the dough into a 19-inch-long strip. It should have a slightly wider base and narrower top, like a very long isosceles triangle. The dough will be approximately ⅛ to ¼ inch thick and around 2½ inches wide at the base. The exact measurements will depend on the shape and stretchiness of your dough. Practice makes perfect.

10. Step 10

    Place one chilled butter block at the bottom of the triangle and gently roll up the dough, enclosing the butter block, aiming for a constant tension as you roll it toward the tip. Once shaped, place onto the oiled baking sheet with the tip side down so it doesn’t unravel as it proofs and bakes. 

11. Step 11

    Repeat with the rest of the dough, placing 5 buns on each sheet, leaving plenty of space (about 4 inches) between each bun to proof. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming and let stand until doubled, 1 ½ to 2 hours. The buns will look inflated with air and will wobble back and forth when you shake the pan.

12. Step 12

    About 30 minutes before the buns are ready, place a deep cast iron pan on the lowest rack of the oven (see Tip) and set two racks in the center. Heat the oven to 500 degrees. 

13. Step 13

    When you are ready to bake the buns, sprinkle each bun with a little rock, pretzel or flaky salt. Bring a kettle of water to a boil, then pour around ½ cup/120 milliliters into a heatproof jug or measuring cup.

14. Step 14

    Load the trays of proofed buns onto the middle shelves, then carefully pull out the bottom rack with the cast iron skillet on it. Very carefully, wearing heat-proof gloves, slowly pour the hot water into the preheated cast iron. Beware of steam and stay well back! Once the water is in, push the rack back in, close the oven door and reduce the temperature to 425 degrees. 

15. Step 15

    Bake for 5 minutes, then carefully remove the cast iron skillet. Watch out when you open the door as steam will escape; most of the water will have evaporated.

16. Step 16

    Reduce the temperature to 375 degrees and bake for 13 to 17 minutes, switching the positions of the pans halfway through if the buns are browning unevenly, until the buns are golden brown. The multistage baking temperatures allow for maximum rise at the beginning, known as oven spring, while the subsequent lower temperature ensures that the interior is fully cooked without burning the outside of the buns. 

17. Step 17

    Brush the buns with the butter that has spilled out onto the trays and leave the buns to cool for 20 to 30 minutes, or until you can handle them. The buns will be crisp and golden and are best eaten within a few hours of baking. If needed, you can reheat them in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes.