Matcha Braided Loaf

Step 1

Mix together active dry yeast, 5 gram sugar, and lukewarm milk. Set aside to bloom, or until foamy and frothy, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

In a mixing bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt. Make a well, then add in egg yolks, butter, and yeast solution. Knead until smooth and soft, only adding a bit of flour if necessary. Kneading time is about 20-30 minutes.

Step 3

Place bread dough in a bowl, cover with a wet kitchen towel/saran plastic. Set aside to proof until volume is almost doubled, about 1 hour in a warm kitchen.

Step 4

Meanwhile, let's make the matcha filling. Beat together unsalted butter, sugar, and matcha until well mixed. Set aside.

Step 5

Once the bread has finished proofing, punch down to remove air bubbles. Then transfer the bread to a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 2 minutes, then roll into a rectangle of about 10-inch by 15-inch.

Step 6

Spread matcha filling on the rolled dough, leaving 1-inch uncovered around the edges. Roll the bread from the short end into a log. Use a sharp knife to cut the log into 2, place the two-half-logs side-by-side so the filling is facing up, then braid into a braided loaf. (Probably easier to refer to the photos!)

Step 7

Tranfer the braided loaf into a 9"x5" greased loaf pan. Cover the pan with a wet kitchen towel/saran plastic and proof again until the dough fill the pan, about 1 hour in a warm kitchen.

Step 8

Preheat oven to 170 Celsius (325 Fahrenheit). Brush the top of the bread with egg wash (mix together egg yolk and milk), and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. At around 25 minutes or 30 minutes mark, if you see that the top of the bread is browning too much, you can use a sheet of aluminum foil to tent the loaf.

Step 9

Remove the bread from oven. Let it rest in the pan over a wire rack for 10 minutes, then gently remove the bread from the pan and cool on a wire rack. It is best to serve the bread warm.