This Rosemary Bread Recipe Uses a Secret Asian Baking Technique (and Makes a Fantastic Sandwich): 8 Ingredients by Katie Smith

Baking therapy has exploded at my house. Baking bread has become a mindfulness activity for me. A delicious mindfulness activity! I've made sourdough, pie crust (used it for my chicken pot pie recipe), sandwich bread and tons of cookies so far. My latest bread recipe that gets a 10 out of 10 from my husband and I is this easy rosemary bread recipe. I tried a new baking technique with this recipe that elevated the bread to blue ribbon status.

Want to make the softest, tenderest baked goods that have a longer shelf life? Meet tangzhong, the Asian secret to softer, longer-lasting bread.

"This Asian technique – which has origins in Japan's yukone (or yudane) and was popularized across Asia by Taiwanese cookbook author Yvonne Chen – cooks a small percentage of the flour and liquid (water or milk) in a yeast recipe very briefly before combining the resulting thick slurry with the remaining ingredients," according to King Arthur Baking Company.

How does it work? "It pre-gelatinizes the starches in the flour, meaning they can absorb more water. In fact, flour will absorb twice as much hot water or milk as it does the cool/lukewarm water or milk you'd usually use in yeast dough. Not only does the starch in the flour absorb more liquid; since heating the starch with water creates structure, it's able to hold onto that extra liquid throughout the kneading, baking, and cooling processes." What all that means is the dough is not as sticky, easier to knead, can rise high and will be softer and stay fresh longer.

To make this easy rosemary bread recipe you will need just seven simple ingredients and some water. Here is your shopping list: buttermilk, all-purpose flour, cane sugar, active dry yeast, butter, salt and dried rosemary. (Check out how I make homemade butter and buttermilk at the same time.)

Serve this fluffy, soft bread with the essence of rosemary as a side dish with dinner, or use it for the best sandwiches. Happy baking!

Cuisine: American / Asian / Italian
Prep Time: 30 minutes plus 2 1/2 hours to rise
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours and 45 minutes 
Servings: 10

Ingredients

Tangzhong

• 1/4 cup (60g) water
• 1/4 cup (70g) buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons (28g) all-purpose flour

Dough

• 1 cup (238g) warm water
• 1 tablespoon (17g) cane sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast (7g)
• 3 3/4 cups (520g) all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons (41g) salted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons salt (8g)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (6g) dried rosemary

Here's how to make it:

1. Prepare the tangzhong: In a small saucepan, whisk together water, buttermilk and flour. Cook over medium-low heat, consistently stirring, until the mixture thickens and begins to steam, about 2 to 3 minutes. The mixture should resemble a thick white paste, kind of like mashed potatoes.
   
2. To make the bread, combine the water, sugar and yeast in a stand mixer bowl fitted with the dough hook attachment. Let the mixture sit for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the yeast begins to foam.
3. Add the flour, tangzhong, butter, salt, dried rosemary and softened butter. On low speed, knead until smooth, about 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should barely stick to the sides of the bowl.
4. Lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil. Using lightly oiled hands, shape the dough into a large round and place in the greased bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let the bread rise in a warm place until doubled in size, around 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
   
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle, about 9 inches by 14 inches. Fold and roll the dough up into an 8-inch log, pinching the bottom to seal.
6. Lightly oil a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Put the dough into the pan, seam side down. Cover the loaf with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and rise at room temperature until it domes up, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
   
7. Bake the bread in a preheated 350-degree F oven until golden brown, about 37 to 40 minutes. (The dough should be at 195 degrees F on a food thermometer.) Let the bread cool completely before slicing.
   
8. Store the bread in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
   

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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