This Rohi Parāoa Miraka (Milk Bread Loaf) is such a lovely bread with a few little twists on the way. It is a light Japanese style bread that stays light and fluffy for days. Serve it warm with a lick of butter or toast it and load it with fluffy scrambled eggs. 🍳
This delicious bread recipe starts by making a tanzhong, which is a roux of miraka (milk), wai (water) and puehu parāoa (flour). This helps the bread stay soft for a little longer. The dough is also rolled up like a scroll and cut in to slices so once it is cooked the dough is pulled apart in to perfect pieces. It is such a beautiful loaf. 🍞
More Bread to try:
If you want to make a delightful bread with a pop of tiakarete (chocolate), then try my Chocolate Swirl Loaf. It is just beautiful and uses the same technique as this loaf. Try these Sticky Maple Pecan Scrolls or this sweet Braided Chocolate Chip Bread for a bit of scroll making action.
Videography and photography by Sarah Henderson.
Ingredient Tips for this Milk Bread Loaf:
- Milk: Full fat milk is best here because it helps creates a rich dough.
- High grade flour: Always use puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour) in bread recipes for the fluffiest result.
- Brown sugar: Use huka hāura (brown sugar) in the dough or swap it for any huka (sugar) you have.
- Yeast: Use īhi horo (instant yeast) in this recipe for efficient rising. If you are using Surebake or breadmakers yeast, double the amount.
- Milk powder: Paura miraka (milk powder) gives a lovely richness to the dough but you can swap it for a ¼ C of puehu parāoa (flour) if you want to.
- Salt: I use Himalayan salt in my baking because it gives a subtle flavour. If you are using iodised table salt, half the quantity.
Expert Tips:
Always give the yeast enough time to activate before adding the dry ingredients. The yeast will float to the top and it will be slightly foamy when it is ready.
Do not add more flour to the dough when you are kneading it. If you add too much extra flour it can make the parāoa (bread) tough when it is baked.
Follow the kneading times as they are written because the gluten needs time to develop properly. If you need some more tips, check out this How to Knead Dough post.
When hand kneading use the palm of your hands, not your fingers. The dough and hands seem to get much stickier when it is worked like that, so work those palms in to the dough. 🙌
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR THIS MILK BREAD LOAF:
Note: The full recipe card with the full list of ingredients, instructions and step by step video are found at the bottom of this page.
1. Prepare the Loaf Tin:
Using a pastry brush, grease a loaf tin with oil. The tin size should be approximately 20 cm long, 10 cm wide and 6 - 10 cm high.
2. Make the Tangzhong:
Add the miraka (milk), wai (water) and puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour) in to a pot.
Heat the mixture over medium heat as you whisk until thickens. Once it is thick, keep it on the heat and swap to a wooden spoon. Continue stirring for another 10 seconds or until a thin film starts forming on the bottom of the pot.
Remove from the heat and leave it aside to cool down as you activate the īhi (yeast).
3. Activate the Yeast:
Add the miraka mahana (warm milk) and huka hāura (brown sugar) in to a large bowl.
Stir until the huka (sugar) is dissolved in to the miraka (milk).
Sprinkle over the īhi tere (instant yeast) and stir again.
Leave the īhi (yeast) to activate for five minutes. The yeast is activated when it has floated to the top.
4. Add the Remaining Ingredients:
Add the puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour), tote (salt) and the tangzhong paste in to the yeast mixture.
Mix it with a knife until a shaggy dough forms.
5. Knead the Dough:
Note: Try not to add any extra flour when you are kneading.
If you are using a mixer, place the dough in the mixing bowl. Using a dough hook, knead for 8 – 10 minutes on low speed.
If you are kneading by hand, add the dough to a lightly floured bench or table. Knead the dough with the palms of your hands (not with your fingers), for 10 – 12 minutes.
6. First Rise:
Shape the dough in to a ball, place it in a large bowl and then cover with a tea towel or bowl cover.
Leave it to rise for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
7. Roll out the Risen Dough:
Once the pokenga (dough) has risen, remove it from the bowl and add it to a bench or table. Sprinkle the tēpu (table) with a little bit of puehu parāoa (flour).
Using a rākau pokepoke (rolling pin), roll out the dough to a 45 cm long rectangle.
Get the loaf tin you are using and make the pokenga (dough) 3 cm less wide than the length of the tin. My tin is 22 cm long so I made my rectangle 19 cm wide and 45 cm long.
8. Roll up the Dough:
Once you have the correct size, gently roll it up in to a scroll type log.
9. Cut the Dough:
Using a sharp knife, cut the log in to 12 pieces, cutting all the way through the dough. Keep the pieces roughly together as you do this.
Cutting them like this enables you to pull the parāoa (bread) apart in to perfect slices once it is baked.
Gently push the cut pieces in to a log and then lower them in to your prepared tin.
10. Second Rise:
Cover the tin with a tea towel and allow the pokenga (dough) to rise for 45 minutes.
11. Preheat the Oven:
15 minutes before the rising time is over, preheat the oven to 175 °C bake setting or 165 °C fan bake setting.
12. Bake the Milk Bread Loaf:
Bake for 40 minutes until golden.
Remove it from the oven and rub a little butter on to the freshly baked bread because that's what my Māmā (Mum) did and so should you! 🧡
While it is still warm, pull apart those delicious slices you have created!
Kei runga noa atu koe - you are so clever.
Store the Milk Bread Loaf:
This loaf will be at its best on the day and even better still warm from the oven but will also make great toast the next day.
In general, I keep homemade bread in a plastic bag for a day on the bench.
Beyond that I slice it and store it in the freezer and remove a piece at a time for toasting.
Don't forget to try the Chocolate Swirl Loaf version off this recipe, it is so extra but is made so in a few simple steps.
The options are endless so take a look at these
Parāoa (Bread) Recipes
With a bit of elbow grease and time, beautiful dough will appear before your eyes.
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Milk Bread Loaf - Rohi Parāoa Miraka
Equipment
- 1 x Loaf Tin, approximately 20 cm long, 10 cm wide and 6 - 10 cm high.
Ingredients
The Tangzhong
- ⅓ C (80 g) miraka (milk)
- ⅓ C (80 g) wai (water)
- ⅓ C (50 g) puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour)
The Dough - Te Pokenga
- ¾ C + 3 tablespoon (230 ml) miraka mahana (warm milk, you should be able to hold your finger in the milk, if not it is too hot)
- 2 ½ tablespoon huka hāura (brown sugar or caster sugar)
- 2 ½ teaspoon (8 g) īhi tere (instant yeast)
- 2 ¾ C (410 g) puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour)
- ¼ C (35 g) paura miraka (milk powder OR swap it for ¼ C of puehu parāoa (flour)
- 1 ½ teaspoon tote (salt, fine). If you are using iodised table salt, half this quantity.
Instructions
Prepare the Loaf Tin:
- Using a pastry brush, grease a loaf tin with oil. The tin size should be approximately 20 cm long, 10 cm wide and 6 - 10 cm high.
Make the Tangzhong:
- Add the miraka (milk), wai (water) and puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour) in to a pot.
- Heat the mixture over medium heat as you whisk until thickens.
- Once it is thick, keep on the heat and swap to a wooden spoon. Continue stirring for another 10 seconds or until a thin film starts forming on the bottom of the pot.
- Remove from the heat and leave it aside to cool down as you activate the īhi (yeast).
Activate the Yeast:
- Add the miraka mahana (warm milk) and huka hāura (brown sugar) in to a large bowl.
- Stir until the huka (sugar) is dissolved in to the miraka (milk).
- Sprinkle over the īhi tere (instant yeast) and stir again.
- Leave the īhi (yeast) to activate for five minutes. The yeast is activated when it has floated to the top.
Add the Remaining Ingredients:
- Add the puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour), tote (salt) and the tangzhong paste in to the yeast mixture.
- Mix it with a knife until a shaggy dough forms. Once the dough is roughly incorporated, it is time to knead the dough.
Knead the Dough:
- Note: Try not to add any extra flour when you are kneading. If it is super sticky, only add a tablespoons of flour at a time (up to 3 tbsp) and continue kneading.Remember, a slightly sticky dough is better than a stiff dough.
- If you are using a mixer, place the dough in the mixing bowl. Using a dough hook, knead for 8 – 10 minutes on low speed.
- If you are kneading by hand, add the dough to a lightly floured bench or table. Knead the dough with the palms of your hands (not with your fingers), for 10 – 12 minutes.
First Rise:
- Shape the dough in to a ball, place it in a large bowl and then cover with a tea towel or bowl cover.
- Leave it to rise for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
Roll out the Risen Dough:
- Once the pokenga (dough) has risen, remove it from the bowl and add it to a bench or table. Sprinkle the tēpu (table) with a little bit of puehu parāoa (flour).
- Using a rākau pokepoke (rolling pin), roll out the dough to a 45 cm long rectangle.
- Get the loaf tin you are using and make the pokenga (dough) 3 cm less wide than the length of the tin. My tin is 22 cm long so I made my rectangle 19 cm wide and 45 cm long.
Roll up the Dough:
- Once you have the correct size, gently roll it up in to a scroll type log.
Cut the Milk Bread Loaf Dough:
- Using a sharp knife, cut the log in to 12 pieces, cutting all the way through the dough. Keep the pieces roughly together as you do this. Cutting them like this enables you to pull the parāoa (bread) apart in to perfect slices once it is baked.
- Gently push the cut pieces in to a log and then lower them in to your prepared tin.
Second Rise:
- Cover the tin with a tea towel and allow the pokenga (dough) to rise for 45 minutes.
Preheat the Oven:
- 15 minutes before the rising time is over, preheat the oven to 175 °C bake setting or 165 °C fan bake setting.
Bake the Milk Bread Loaf:
- Bake for 40 minutes until golden.
- Remove it from the oven and rub a little butter on to the freshly baked bread because that's what my Māmā (Mum) did and so should you! 🧡
- While it is still warm, pull apart those delicious slices you have created! Kei runga noa atu koe - you are so clever.
Store the Milk Bread Loaf:
- This loaf will be at its best on the day but will also make great toast the next day.
- In general, I keep homemade bread in a plastic bag for a day on the bench. Beyond that I slice it and store it in the freezer and remove a piece at a time for toasting.
- Don't forget to try the Chocolate Swirl Loaf version off this recipe, it is so extra but is made so in a few simple steps.
Paula McDonald
Made this today. It's so nice. Different to the usual bread I make.
Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai
So glad you tried this recipe Paula, I like it for that reason too as I enjoy making dough with different techniques.
Teri
First time making bread like this. Being able to pull the slices off makes it so easy to eat.
Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai
You made the milk bread - that is so cool.
How pretty is it aye, I love how it pulls apart too.