Tangzhong

Tangzhong (Chinese: 湯種; pinyin: tāngzhǒng), also known as a water roux or yu-dane (Japanese: 湯種, romanized: yu-dane)^[1][2] is a paste of flour cooked in water or milk to over 65 °C (149 °F) which is used to improve the texture of bread and increase the amount of time it takes to stale.^[3]

Milk bread made with a water roux

Tangzhong
Traditional Chinese	湯種
Simplified Chinese	汤种
Literal meaning	hot water starter
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin tāngzhǒng Bopomofo ㄊㄤ ㄓㄨㄥˇ Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization tōng júng Jyutping tong¹ zung²

Tangzhong is a gel, which helps stabilize the wheat starches in the bread, to prevent recrystallization which is the main cause of staling. The Chinese characters for the technique translate to "scalding method".^[4]

Technique

For yu-dane the flour is mixed with an equal weight of boiling water poured over it. This mixture then holds moisture so that, when it is added to a bread mix, the dough bakes with a soft, fluffy texture and the bread then keeps for longer.^[4]

For tangzhong the flour is cooked at 65 °C (149 °F) in the liquid which causes its starch to gelatinize.^[5] The gelatinized roux is generally used at a moderate temperature and apparently also contributes to slightly greater rise during baking.^{[citation needed]}

The gelatinized flour is more stable than normal bread dough, which normally tends to crystallize, creating stale bread. Because the water roux blocks that process, the bread keeps for longer.^{[citation needed]}

History

"Scalding" flour, especially rye flour, for baking is a technique that has been used for centuries and is traditional in China to make steamed buns.^[6][4] The technique was used to develop Japanese milk bread in the 20th century.^[4]

The Pasco Shikishima Corporation (Japanese: 敷島製パン) was granted a patent in Japan for making bread using the yu-dane method in 2001.^[7] The yu-dane method was then modified by Taiwanese pastry chef Yvonne Chen (Chinese: 陳郁芬), who published a book in 2007 called 65°C Bread Doctor (Chinese: 65°C 湯種麵包), borrowing the Japanese term 湯種 directly.^[8] This book popularized the technique throughout Asia.^[5][9]

In 2010, food author Christine Ho first wrote about the technique in English, using the Mandarin pronunciation of 湯種, tangzhong ([tʰáŋ.ʈʂʊ̀ŋ]).^[10] She subsequently wrote more than twenty recipes using the method,^[11] which helped popularize the technique in the English-speaking world.^[12]

See also

• Roux