Name: Salted Butter Rolls (Shio pan 塩パン)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 15 h 5 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 150g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour); 105g milk; 1/4 tsp (1g) instant dry yeast; 1/4 tsp sugar; 150 bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour); All the old dough (above); 1/2 tsp (1.8g) instant dry yeast; 15g - 20g brown sugar (I used organic brown sugar); 3/4 tsp (4g) salt; 45g cold egg, whisked (from 1 medium egg); 45g - 55g cold milk; 25g butter, room temperature; 8 cubes of cut salted butter, cold (around 11g - 12g each) from the fridge; Pretzel salt or flaky sea salt; Baking tray; Water sprayer; Lava rocks

Salted Butter Rolls, or Shio Pan (塩パン), are a type of soft, buttery bread roll originating from Japan. "Shio" means "salt" in Japanese, and "pan" is derived from the Portuguese word for bread. These rolls are known for their distinct combination of a light, fluffy interior and a crisp, slightly salted, golden-brown exterior.

Shio Pan has become popular in Japanese bakeries due to its savory-sweet balance, lightness, and simplicity, making it a delightful snack or breakfast option.

For the sourdough version of this recipe, click here

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How To Make Salted Butter Rolls (Shio pan 塩パン)

Yields: 8 Buns

INGREDIENTS:

Old Dough:

150g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)

105g milk

1/4 tsp (1g) instant dry yeast

1/4 tsp sugar

Main Dough:

150 bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)

All the old dough (above)

1/2 tsp (1.8g) instant dry yeast

15g - 20g brown sugar (I used organic brown sugar)

3/4 tsp (4g) salt

45g cold egg, whisked (from 1 medium egg)

45g - 55g cold milk (I used 45g for my flour)*

25g butter, room temperature

Filling:

8 cubes of cut salted butter, cold (around 11g - 12g each) from the fridge

Topping:

Pretzel salt or flaky sea salt

Utensils:

Baking tray

Water sprayer

Lava rocks

* Depends on your flour, because each flour absorbs liquid and hydrates differently. You may also add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time during kneading if the dough is too dry, when you see that the dough doesn't stick to the bottom at all. We want the dough to clear from the sides of the bowl with only a small part of the bottom sticking to the base of the mixer bowl. You should hear a slapping sound of the dough hitting the sides of the mixer bowl.

METHOD:

Old Dough:

Combine milk, yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl. Then add in bread flour and mix with hand until become a soft dough. Roll into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover and let it proof 1 hour in room temperature (28C).
After 1 hour, place into the refrigerator overnight for at least 12 hours or up to 16 hours. Fridge temperature 2C - 4C. The next morning, take out the old dough from refrigerator to return to room temperature 30 minutes before using. You can also use directly from the fridge if you forget to take out earlier.
If you don't plan to bake the next day, after 1 hour fermentation, shape it into a ball and wrap it in cling wrap or place it in a ziplock bag. Store it in the freezer for 1-2 months. Take it out 30 minutes before using to defrost.

Main Dough:

Put all ingredients (except butter), including all the old dough (slightly tear) into a bowl of stand mixer.
Slightly combine the mixture by hand with the paddle attachment before turning on the machine so that the flour will not splash out. Using the paddle attachment, mix for about a minute or until all incorporated. You may also use hook attachment straight away. It is very much depend on your machine and preference.
Change to hook attachment and knead for another 2 minutes until the dough become elastic. Add butter and continue knead for 10 - 12 minutes or until reach window pane stage. The whole kneading process, I stopped few times to scrape down the dough from the hook to be sure it is evenly kneaded and also to prevent the motor from overheating.

1st Proofing/Resting:

Round up the dough and put back in the same bowl or transfer to a new bowl. Cover with lid and let the dough rise in a warm place for 45 to 60 minutes or until double in size.

Shaping:

Punch down the dough to release the air.
Transfer the dough to a clean surface slightly dusted with flour, divide dough into 8 equal portions (approx.71g each). Please use a kitchen scale if you want to be exact.
Shape each dough into a ball. Roll each dough ball into carrot shape, about 9.5 inches long. Finish all the dough. I let the dough rest in the fridge (covered with kitchen towel) as my kitchen is warm.
Flatten the dough with a rolling pin. Place a piece of cut salted butter on the wide part of the dough, then roll up like shaping a croissant. Please refer to the diagram below.
Place the buns on a baking tray. After shaping each bun, I placed the tray in the fridge to prevent over-proofing. Lightly spray the buns with water to keep the dough from drying, then cover with a kitchen towel.

Final Proofing:

Let the buns proof at a warm place for about 45 minutes or until the dough rise, puffy and almost double in size.
If you are unable to judge by just looking at the dough, you may want to do the finger poke test. Lightly press with your finger. If the indentation slowly bounces back and leave a small indentation, it is ready to bake.

Baking:

Preheat oven with lava rocks at 200C (fan-forced) for 30 minutes before baking.
Once the buns are ready to bake, spray water and sprinkle some pretzel salt on top.
Open the oven door, place the tray with rolls in the middle rack.
Pour one cup of hot water into the lava rocks.
Spray some water inside the oven.
Close the door immediately.
Reduce temperature to 190C (fan-forced) and bake for about 10 minutes.
Remove the lava rocks and release the steam.
Increase temperature to 200C (fan-forced). Continue baking for another 5 - 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Once is ready, remove tray from the oven and immediately brush with some melted butter (this is optional).
Let them cool a little in the some tray. This will allow the rolls to absorb some of the melted butter from the tray. You may transfer to cooling rack after this.
The rolls taste the best when they are freshly baked.

Old Dough

Main Dough

GENERAL NOTES:

GLUTEN DEVELOPMENT & WINDOWPANE TEST

Gluten forms when flour comes in contact with water. Hydration of the flour causes the sticky and stretchy protein to form, giving structure to the bread. This makes your bread trap air and rise.

Gluten in dough can be developed by autolyse, resting, kneading or folding.

The windowpane test is used to determine whether the dough has been sufficiently kneaded. By gently pulling the dough (or you may pinch off some dough) and trying to stretch it into a thin membrane. If you are able to stretch the dough paper thin and translucent without tearing, then the gluten is fully developed. However, if you can stretch it without tearing but the membrane is not transparent, then the gluten is not yet fully developed.

However, from my experience not all the recipe can achieve a thin and translucent window pane stage easily. For example low hydration and low fat dough. For such recipes, a reasonable window pane is good enough and it can be left to rest. Gluten will continue to develop while resting. Exercising restraint to not over-knead the dough prevents the gluten from being overworked and broken. Some of you may have experienced the dough breaking during the second proofing. It is because the dough is over kneaded.

The total kneading time for me is usually 15 minutes at low speeds except brioche dough with high fat percentage or dough using liquid fat which usually takes a little longer (maybe 18-20 mins).

From my experience, I found that high hydration dough with high percentage of fat will be easy to stretch and achieve a paper thin windowpane stage.

KNEADING TIME

For kneading, please regard the timing provided as an indication only. It is only meant as a guide. Timing may differ depending on the brand of flour and electric mixer used. The protein content may vary from one brand of flour to another.

FLOUR
The right flour plays a very important role in bread making. To achieve fluffy, soft and light bread, I used Japan High Gluten Flour in most of my bread baking. The protein content is around 12 - 13%.

HYDRATION

The liquid measurement given is also a guide. It is advisable to always reserve some liquid and not add it all in one go. This would give you the opportunity to adjust if necessary. If dough is too dry, add the reserve liquid one tablespoon at a time until the right consistency. This is because each flour absorbs water and hydrates differently.

PROOFING

Please note that the proofing timing may also vary depending on your climate and environment. The humidity and temperature at your place will influence how dough rises.

If you are unable to judge by just looking at the dough, you can do the finger poke test:

First Proofing:

Lightly flour or oil your finger or knuckle, gently poke in the centre of the dough then remove your finger. If it bounces back immediately without any indentation then it needs more time.
If the indentation stays and it doesn’t bounce back or if the dough collapses, then the it is over proved.
If it bounces back just a little, then the dough is ready to be punched down and shaping.

Second Proofing:

Lightly press the side of the proved dough with your finger. If it bounces back immediately without any indentation, it means the dough is under proved and needs more time before baking.
If the indentation stays and it doesn’t bounce back, it means it has been over proved.
If the indentation slowly bounces back and leave a small indentation, it is ready to bake.
There will be a final burst of rising once the bread is placed to bake in the oven and it is called oven spring.

WRINKLE TOP OR SHRINKING

If your bread collapses or gets wrinkled on top after removing from oven, it could be because your dough over proved during the second proofing. Please proof until it rises 80 - 90% in size or is slightly below the rim of the pan.

BAKING TEMPERATURE & TIME

Do also note that the baking temperature and timing provided are what works for my oven and should also be regarded as a guide only. Every oven behaves a little differently, so please adjust accordingly for your oven.