Name: Crispy Buttery Salt Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 10 rolls
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons water; 3 tablespoons milk; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 0.5 cup warm milk; 1 tsp yeast; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 egg; 4.5 tablespoons butter; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 0.25 cup sugar; 1.75 teaspoons salt; 6 tablespoons cold butter; 1 pinch flaky salt; butter

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Crispy Buttery Salt Bread

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Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Crispy Buttery Salt Bread

Tangzhong

3 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Dough

½ cup warm milk

1 tsp yeast

1 tbsp sugar

1 egg

4 ½ tablespoons butter

3 cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

1 ¾ teaspoons salt

Filling

6 tablespoons cold butter

Topping

1 pinch flaky salt

butter

Instructions

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Instructions

In a small saucepan, whisk together the water, milk, and flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a smooth, glossy paste. Remove from the heat and let it cool completely before using.

Warm the milk until just lukewarm, then mix in 1 tsp sugar and the yeast. Let it stand for 5–10 minutes until foamy and activated.

In a mixing bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the cooled tangzhong, egg, sugar, salt, and flour. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Add the softened butter and knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and only slightly tacky.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a cool room for 1–2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Punch out the air and divide the dough into 9–10 equal pieces. Shape each portion into a smooth ball and rest them for 10 minutes. Roll each ball into an oval or triangle shape, place a 10 g stick of butter at the wide end, and roll it up like a small croissant, making sure the tip is on the bottom.

Arrange the rolled salt breads on a lined baking tray, tip-side down. Cover lightly and let them rise again for 30–40 minutes until noticeably puffy.

Lightly mist the tops with water (this helps with oven spring). Bake for 5 minutes at 200°C (392°F), then lower to 180°C (356°F) and bake for another 10–13 minutes until golden.

Brush immediately with garlic butter or plain melted butter. Serve warm, the inside will be fluffy with a perfectly melty butter core.

Nutrition

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Cold Butter Lamination 🧈
Cut cold butter into small cubes and distribute evenly throughout the dough before the final rise to create distinct buttery layers that melt and leak out during baking, achieving that signature crispy, golden bottom.
Milk Temperature Precision 🌡️
Warm your milk to exactly 110°F (43°C) before mixing with yeast to activate fermentation optimally without killing the yeast, ensuring fluffy, well-risen rolls with perfect texture.
Egg Wash Application Timing ✨
Apply egg wash in the final 5 minutes before baking rather than earlier to prevent it from drying out and ensure a glossy, golden crust that highlights the flaky salt crystals on top.
Flaky Salt Placement Strategy 🧂
Sprinkle flaky salt directly onto the buttered dough surface just before baking so it adheres to the melting butter and creates a crispy, salty crust rather than dissolving into the dough.
Bulk Fermentation Monitoring ⏱️
Allow the dough to rise until it nearly doubles in size (typically 1.5-2 hours at room temperature), then perform a gentle poke test—the indentation should spring back slowly for perfectly proofed, airy rolls.