Can I make salt bread without a stand mixer?

Yes, you can absolutely knead the dough by hand. It will take about 10 to 15 minutes of vigorous work to reach the desired elasticity. It is a great workout and allows you to really feel the texture of the dough as it changes.

What if I don't have bread flour?

You can use all-purpose flour, but your salt bread will be less chewy and more like a standard soft roll. If you must use all-purpose flour, try to reduce the liquid by a tablespoon or two, as bread flour absorbs more water than all-purpose does.

Can I use unsalted butter?

You can use unsalted butter for the center, but you will lose a bit of that classic "shio" flavor. If you only have unsalted butter, consider mixing a tiny pinch of salt into the butter before you shape it into sticks for the filling.

Why did my salt melt on top of the bread?

Salt melts when it comes into contact with too much moisture. If you spray the rolls with too much water before baking, or if the humidity in your kitchen is very high, the salt might dissolve. Adding the salt right before the tray goes into the oven is the best way to prevent this.

Salt Bread (Japanese Shio Pan) - Authentic Japanese Salt

Name: Japanese Shio Pan (Salt Bread)
Prep time: 2 h 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 2 h 25 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 250g bread flour; 150ml warm whole milk; 20g granulated sugar; 5g fine sea salt; 4g instant dry yeast; 20g unsalted butter, softened (for dough); 60g salted butter, chilled and cut into 8 strips (for filling); 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash); Flaked sea salt (for topping)

Ingredients

Scale

250g bread flour
150ml warm whole milk
20g granulated sugar
5g fine sea salt
4g instant dry yeast
20g unsalted butter, softened (for dough)
60g salted butter, chilled and cut into 8 strips (for filling)
1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Flaked sea salt (for topping)

Instructions

Prepare the dough: Mix flour, milk, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead until smooth: Incorporate the softened butter and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is elastic and smooth.
Perform first proof: Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 60 minutes.
Divide the dough: Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces, shaping them into smooth balls.
Rest the dough: Cover the balls with a damp cloth and let them rest for 15 minutes to relax gluten.
Shape into triangles: Roll each ball into a long, thin triangle shape approximately 10 inches in length.
Fill with butter: Place one strip of chilled salted butter at the wide base of the dough triangle.
Roll the crescents: Roll the dough tightly from the wide base toward the tip to create a crescent shape.
Perform second proof: Place rolls on a baking sheet and let rise for 45 minutes until nearly doubled in size.
Apply final touches: Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle generously with flaked sea salt.
Bake until golden: Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 12-15 minutes until the tops are golden and bottoms are crunchy.

Notes

Ensure the filling butter is very cold when rolling to prevent it from leaking out too early during the baking process.

Author: Mike
Prep Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Bread
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Japanese
Diet: Vegetarian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 roll
Calories: 230 kcal
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 480mg
Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 3g
Trans Fat: 0.3g
Carbohydrates: 27g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 5g
Cholesterol: 35mg

Keywords: Shio Pan, Salt Bread, Japanese Bakery, Buttery Rolls, Crescent Rolls