Chocolate Milk Hearth Bread – Mirukuhasu

Japanese Chocolate Milk Hearth Bread is the thing you want to try when it comes to milk hearth bread. This Japanese bread, with its soft texture and rustic look, is really captivating, making it viral in many Asian countries. You might also want to try the original version of Mirukuhasu.

Japanese Mirukuhasu Bread (Chocolate)

Think of your classic Japanese Milk Hearth Bread =, known as Mirukuhasu (ミルクハス) — now give it a chocolatey upgrade! This cocoa powder version keeps all the milky goodness of classic mirukuhasu, but with a rich cocoa flavor in every bite. The crust gets a faint crackle, while the inside stays tender with just the right amount of chocolate warmth (not too sweet, just perfect).

It’s like if hot chocolate turned into bread—cozy, comforting, and impossible to resist torn straight from the loaf. Great toasted with coconut jam or Ube Halaya and a slice of cold butter.

If you are in a hurry, you can easily slice it and dip it in Earl Grey Milk Tea or Oolong Milk Tea. Or drizzle some Homemade Condensed Milk on top of it.

Recipe Ingredients

High-protein flour: High-protein flour is a must when making bread. If you only have all-purpose flour, make sure it is of a higher protein level, such as King Arthur.

Cocoa powder: Choose a good brand of cocoa powder to make the bread fragrant with chocolate and tasty.

Whipping Cream: Non-dairy whipping cream or dairy whipping cream can be used here.

Water or milk: You may use water or milk, depending on your preference. If you want the bread to be dense with a milky flavor, use milk. However, if you are a vegan, you can substitute the milk with water. It won’t affect the texture.

Unsalted butter: Butter will make the bread smell nice. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, you can substitute this with oil. Choose a non-fragrant oil such as coconut oil or canola oil.

Substitutions

For those with gluten intolerance, you can substitute the flour with gluten-free flour.

Water – For those who are intolerant to dairy products, you may substitute the milk to water. However, the texture and flavor may not be the same as the original recipe. You can also use almond milk or oat milk.

Non-dairy whipping cream – Non-dairy whipping cream is also a good substitute. Whipping cream will make the texture of the bread soft and bouncy. Dairy whipping cream add creamy flavor.

Coconut oil – Coconut oil can be a good substitute for butter.

Variations

You can always experiment with different flavors and ingredients. Add nuts or seeds to make it more wholesome and satisfying. Try it with pandan extract, if you like.

How to Make Chocolate Milk Hearth Bread

STEP 1. Mix cocoa powder with hot water. Stir well until well-blended. Pour whipping cream and milk into the mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside (Images 1, 2, 3). Sieve flour into a mixing bowl. Add in sugar and instant yeast. Pour the cocoa mixture into the bowl (Image 4).

STEP 2. Put the mixing bowl on the kitchen mixer with a dough hook attachment (Image 5). Use the hook to stir the dry ingredients a little bit so the flour won’t scatter when you turn on the machine. Turn on the lowest speed and let it mix for 5 minutes or until it forms a dough. Put in the butter and salt (Images 6, 7). Turn the speed up to medium and keep kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic. You can take it out when it is no longer sticky. Knead the dough on the work table for a few minutes (Image 8).

STEP 3. Transfer the dough into a lightly greased bowl so it does not stick to the bowl after fermentation. Cover with cling wrap or a cloth. Let it ferment for one hour or until it is doubled in size (Image 9). Punch the dough to let out the air (Image 10). Knead a few more times (Image 10) and divide the dough into two equal sizes or 4 small sizes. Roll flat the dough with a rolling pin. Roll it flat into a rectangular shape (around 14 x 9 inches)(Image 12).

STEP 4. Fold each side to the center (Images 13, 14). Start rolling from one side and pinch both ends (Image 15). Roll from one end to the other end. Seal the end by pinching tightly (Image 16).

STEP 5. Cover the dough with cling wrap (Image 17) and let it ferment for another 40 minutes or until it doubles its size (Image 18). Sprinkle with some flour and score the top with any pattern you like (Image 19) . Put the dough in the preheated oven at 180°C and bake for 20 minutes. Take out the bread from the oven and let it cool on the cooling rack before slicing (Image 20). Slice the bread and serve with butter or jam. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

Serve this soft bread sliced with butter and your favorite jam. I like toasting it and spreading some coconut jam or Ube jam on top of it. You can also pair it with honey or maple syrup.

FAQs about Japanese Chocolate Milk Hearth Bread