Cube Bread

Cube Bread is yet another iteration of my famous pandesal recipe. The only difference here is that it is baked inside a shokupan tin aka Pullman loaf tin. You can take this fluffy pandesal recipe and shape it in any way you want and still end up with a delicious bread!

Texture does change the flavor of bread. When baked in a loaf tin, the pandesal develops a crust like a classic white sandwich bread. In this form, the pandesal becomes versatile and can be used in so many ways.

You can find the green version of this in my Pandan Pandesal recipe but I will tell you now, the only difference in that recipe is a bit of pandan extract.

While not an “official” entry in my 30 day bread challenge, I thought it would be good to post this recipe as it is a base for other recipes.

The Shokupan Tin

As I mentioned before, this recipe features a shokupan baking tin. I used a square 4.5 inch x 4.5 inch x 4.5 inch tin. You can use this Amazon affiliate link to buy one or browse. Disclaimer: I do get paid a tiny amount if you use my link to buy it but you don’t pay any extra cost! The ingredient amounts will fill three of these square pans. I also have a longer loaf (as seen in the pandan version) which this recipe will fill entirely.

Ingredients

This list of ingredients will yield more dough than fits in one square shokupan baking tin.

  • 2 tsp instant yeast, OR 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 1/4 cup whole milk, warmed to 100-105 degrees F (285 g)
  • 4 1/2 cup All-Purpose flour (585g)
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature (43 g)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar (70g)
  • 2 large eggs, lightly whisked

Directions

1. In a stand mixer, combine all-purpose flour, yeast, salt (make sure the salt doesn’t make direct contact with the yeast), and sugar. Mix all the dry ingredients together.

2. Add the eggs and slowly add the milk. Add just enough milk to pick up all the flour at the bottom of the bowl, then add a splash more (I like my pandesal dough to be a bit wet and sticky!).

3. Add the butter, then put your stand mixer on medium speed. Knead for about 5-7 minutes, or until it passes the windowpane test. Make sure you don’t over-knead your dough!

4. Once it’s kneaded, scrape the sides of the bowl to combine the dough into one ball. Cover the dough and let the dough rise for about an hour or longer until roughly double in size.

5. Once you poke the dough and it doesn’t spring back, tip the dough out on a lightly floured surface and press out all the air bubbles.

6. Place the dough in the oiled tin. Let the dough rise for another hour, or until you poke the dough and it only springs back halfway. If you’re using the square shokupan tin, the whole dough will not fit. Be sure to size appropriately

7. Place your tin on the middle rack in the oven preheated to 350ºF, and bake for about 20-25 minutes.

8. Remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool down for about 10 minutes before removing from the tin!

Special Notes

  • You can knead this dough by hand, which should take about 15-20 minutes of continuous kneading.

Video

The video describes the terms of engagement for my 30 day bread challenge

Recipe

Cube Loaf

Prep Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 3 loaves

Equipment

  • 1 shokupan bread tin 4.5 inch cube

Ingredients
  

This list of ingredients will yield dough for about 3 shokupan baking tins

  • 2 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1 1/4 cup whole milk warmed to 100F-105F. (285 g)
  • 4 1/2 cup all purpose flour (585 g)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (43g)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar (70g)
  • 2 large eggs lightly whisked

Instructions
 

  • In a stand mixer, combine all-purpose flour, yeast, salt (make sure the salt doesn’t make direct contact with the yeast), and sugar. Mix all the dry ingredients together.
  • Add the eggspandan extract, and slowly add the milk. Add just enough milk to pick up all the flour at the bottom of the bowl, then add a splash more (I like my pandesal dough to be a bit wet and sticky!).
  • Add the butter, then put your stand mixer on medium speed. Knead for about 5-7 minutes, or until it passes the windowpane test. Make sure you don’t over-knead your dough!
  • Once it’s kneaded, scrape the sides of the bowl to combine the dough into one ball. Cover the dough and let the dough rise for about an hour or longer until roughly double in size.
  • Once you poke the dough and it doesn’t spring back, tip the dough out on a lightly floured surface and press out all the air bubbles.
  • Place the dough in the oiled tin. Let the dough rise for another hour, or until you poke the dough and it only springs back halfway.
  • Place your tin on the middle rack in the oven preheated to 350ºF, and bake for about 20-25 minutes.
  • Remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool down for about 10 minutes before removing from the tin!