Japanese Milk Hearth Bread (Mirukuhasu)

Japanese Milk Hearth Bread with its beautiful rustic look will make you want to taste it. Its soft texture inside makes this bread so delicious. Paired with fruit jam or just plain butter, you will definitely love it!

What is Japanese Milk Hearth Bread – Mirukuhasu?

Japanese Milk Hearth Bread, known as Mirukuhasu (ミルクハス), is a beloved bread in Japanese bakeries, known for its soft, milky-sweet texture and golden crust. As the name suggests, this bread is made with milk, giving it a slightly sweet flavor and a pillowy texture.

Mirukuhasu is traditionally shaped into rustic rounds or batards and baked directly on the hearth. It is dusted with flour before going into the oven. The result is a slightly crisp exterior with tender texture inside.

Other iconic Japanese bread such as Shokupan (fluffy white loaf), Japanese Milk Bun, Anpan (red bean buns) and Melon Pan (sweet-cookie crusted bread) are great options for breakfast toast and savory sandwiches.

 Enjoy this bread sliced and toasted with Coconut Jam or Ube Halaya. Add a thick slice of butter on top of the jam and you’re good to go.

Recipe Ingredients

High Protein Flour – You need to use high protein flour or bread flour in order to make a good bread. If you want to make the bread gluten-free, you can choose gluten-free bread flour to substitute.

Whipping Cream – To get the best result from this recipe, use dairy whipping cream. Substitute to non-dairy whipping cream for vegetarian and vegans.

Water or Milk – When you use milk, you will get the dense creamy texture, combined with the dairy whipping cream. You can also use water to make it less dense, if you prefer.

Unsalted Butter or Coconut Oil – To make the bread smooth, add unsalted butter or coconut oil for non-dairy option.

Substitutions

Non-dairy whipping cream – You can always substitute the heavy cream with non-dairy whipping cream. The bread may have a slightly different texture than the one with heavy cream, but it won’t affect the overall appearance.

Soy milk – If you can’t eat dairy products, you can substitute the milk with soy or almond milk. However, the texture might be slightly different from the original recipe.

Variations

This bread recipe is so versatile. Once you master the original recipe, you can make other variations easily, with chocolate, pumpkin, or even carrot.

How to Make Milk Hearth Bread

STEP 1. Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl. Put in sugar and instant yeast. Pour whipping cream and milk into the bowl (Image 1). Start mixing with a spatula until combined. Use your hands to knead the dough on a working table (Image 2). You can put in unsalted butter or coconut oil when the dry ingredients are all mixed. The butter should be in room temperature (Image 3). Add the salt. (Image 4)

STEP 2. Knead until the dough is no longer sticky and the dough is elastic and smooth (Image 5). Knead for another 2-3 minutes. Round the dough. Transfer into a bowl. Cover with cling wrap. Let it ferment for up to one hour (Images 6, 7, 8).

STEP 3. After one hour, deflate the dough by poking the dough. Let the air out (Images 9, 10). Start shaping the dough. Weigh the dough and divide it evenly into two (Image 11). Roll flat into a rectangular shape (around 14 x 9 inches) (Image 12). Preheat the oven to 180°C.

STEP 4. Fold the flat dough into the center from each side, like folding an envelope (Images 13, 14). Flatten the folded dough to let out air bubble (Image 15). Start rolling the flat dough in one direction and seal tightly by pinching it (Image 16).

STEP 5. Gently roll the bread to make it smooth and place it on a baking tray (Image 17). Cover with cling wrap. Let the shaped dough double the size (Image 18). Wait 30 minutes after shaping, sieve some flour on top of the dough (Image 19). Score with a scoring knife with any pattern you like (Image 20). Let it ferment for 10 minutes before baking. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the color turns golden brown. Take it out from the oven and let it cool completely. Slice the bread and enjoy it with your favorite jam!

Serving Suggestions

This wonderful bread can be served with butter, coconut jam, or just a simple homemade condensed milk. It is so easy to love this bread, and you can always serve it at any time of the day.

FAQs about Japanese Milk Hearth Bread

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