Best Korean Bread Recipes

KOREAN CREAM CHEESE GARLIC BREAD

Steps:

• For the bread: Warm 1/4 cup of the milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat to between 100 and 115 degrees F. Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment. Add the sugar and yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Add the butter, salt, 1/2 cup milk and half of the flour to the bowl. Mix on medium-high speed just to incorporate. Add the egg and mix until fully incorporated. Add the remaining 1/4 cup milk and remaining flour. Knead with the hook on medium-high speed until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides, about 5 minutes (the dough will still be sticky).
• Lightly spray a large bowl with cooking spray, scrape the dough into the bowl and turn to coat it with the spray. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a slightly warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment and lightly coat with cooking spray. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces with a bench scraper or chef's knife. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and arrange on the prepared baking sheet, leaving plenty of space between each. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let stand again until puffy and doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• For the egg wash: Lightly whisk the milk and egg in a small bowl. Brush the rounds with the egg wash. Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until golden brown, about 24 minutes. Transfer the breads to a rack to cool completely. Reserve the baking sheet with parchment, as it will be used again. Leave the oven on.
• Once cooled, use a sharp serrated knife to cut each bread into 6 equal wedges partly through, leaving at least 1/4 inch intact on the bottom of each.
• For the cream cheese filling: Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, scraping down the sides as necessary, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, gradually increase the mixer speed to medium high and beat until the sugar is incorporated and the filling is creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer the filling to a large piping bag. Pipe the filling in between the wedges of each bread, working from the outside to the center while holding and separating each wedge with your fingers. Be careful not to break the wedges. Save some filling for the end; set aside.
• For the garlic butter custard: Whisk together the butter, heavy cream, garlic, parsley, sugar, honey, garlic powder, salt and eggs in a large bowl to combine.
• Dip the breads one at a time in the garlic butter custard, cut-side down. Separate the wedges while holding each bread down in the custard to coat the inside and outside of each wedge. With two hands, carefully flip each bread upside down and submerge entirely in the custard. Arrange the breads back on the reserved parchment-lined baking sheet. After all of them have been dipped completely in the custard, repeat once more to double dip. Make sure there's plenty of minced garlic and parsley on the breads. (There will be custard leftover at the end.)
• Bake until deep golden brown, glossy and crispy on the outside, 13 to 15 minutes (the garlic will start smelling fragrant and the custard drippings will start crisping/browning around the edges). Let cool for 10 minutes, then pipe some of the remaining cream cheese filling in the center of each bread. (The breads will open up slightly as you pipe in the center.) Serve immediately.

KOREAN EGG BREAD (GYERAN BBANG)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/gas 6 and line a nine-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
• For the batter, put the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well.
• In another bowl, whisk together the milk, butter and eggs.
• Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour the wet mixture into it. Gradually whisk it all together until fully blended and smooth.
• Divide the mixture between the holes of the muffin tin and add an egg yolk to the top of each one. Sprinkle a little bacon, tomato, cheese and a pinch of salt over each one.
• Bake the bread for 20-25 minutes, until set and golden brown. Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve immediately.

KOREAN-STYLE CREAM CHEESE GARLIC BREAD

Steps:

• Combine warm water, yeast, sugar, and 1 cup flour in a bowl. Let rest for 30 minutes.
• Add 2 cups flour and salt to the bubbly yeast mixture. Beat with an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook until dough is fairly smooth, elastic, and tacky but not sticky, about 5 minutes. Feel free to add more flour if dough is too sticky.
• Knead the dough briefly before transferring to a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours. At the 30-minute and 60-minute marks, uncover and fold dough with wet fingers 5 to 6 times to develop gluten structure.
• Transfer to a work surface and press flat, squeezing out excess air. Divide with a bench scraper into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball.
• Transfer rolled dough balls onto a Silpat®-lined baking sheet and press down gently. Dust lightly with remaining flour.
• Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake rolls in the center of the preheated oven until lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• While rolls cool, make cream cheese filling. Mix cream cheese, sugar, salt, black pepper, cayenne, parsley, green onions, and heavy cream together with a spatula until combined.
• Mix melted butter, garlic, salt, parsley, and egg together for coating with a whisk until combined.
• Transfer cooled rolls back onto the lined baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to make 6 cuts on each roll, about 90% of the way through.
• Dip the cut rolls into the garlic butter and coat in between the slits using your hands or a pastry brush.
• Pipe or spread 1/6 of the cream cheese mixture into each of the 6 rolls. Coat each once more in the garlic butter mixture. Top with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until beautifully browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.