Introducing June and July 2022 JOC Cooking Challenge!
Welcome back to JOC Cooking Challenge! This is our second challenge since we launched the event back in March. I hope you had fun making Mosaic Sushi at our 1st installment.
What is JOC Cooking Challenge
It’s a quarterly online event on Just One Cookbook where I share a new recipe for you to make at home, and in return, you just need to snap a picture of the final dish and share it with us!
The JOC Cooking Challenge months are March, June, September, and December.
This Month’s Challenge Recipe
The recipe for the second cooking challenge is Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan)!
Whether you’re an experienced baker or a beginner baker, I thought this would be a perfect “challenging” recipe to tackle.
I’ve spent countless hours (more like months) working on this recipe itself as well as photographing, filming a full-length video, and writing the detailed blog post with instructions. I really wish you succeed at making the Japanese milk bread.
Please take time to read the entire post and recipe first, before you head to the kitchen! It’s very important to be well prepared for this recipe. And if you have any questions for trouble shooting, please leave it in the comment section. We’re ready to help!
As I understand that many of you will need to purchase new baking equipment and some people go on a summer vacation, I’m extending the June challenge to be a 2-month-long challenge instead of the regular one-month-long. Start preparing for the equipment early on! It takes time to ship things these days.
The Prizes!
This contest is open to everyone worldwide. We will randomly select 3 winners at the end of the challenge using random.org. Each winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card.
Everyone who participates in the JOC Cooking Challenge and sends us the picture of your final dish via email is automatically entered into the prize draw.
Please note that we will not judge based on the creations, but you need to make sure your submission meets the scope of the recipe.
How to Join June/July 2022 JOC Cooking Challenge
- Recipe: Make my Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan) recipe (NOT your recipe!)
- Send: Send your photo of the final dish to us via email (contest@justonecookbook.com) before 12 pm PST on July 31. This counts as an automatic entry for your chance to win the prize (only one entry per person). We’d love to hear your stories about funny moments, kitchen mishaps, or difficulties that you come across during the process.
- Prize winner announcement: 3 winners will be announced at the bottom of this post in early August and the collages of your creations will be shared as well!
Visit the JOC Cooking Challenge (main page) if you have any questions.
We look forward to seeing your picture in our inbox!
Readers’ Japanese Milk Bread Submissions (186 Entries)
JOC Cooking Challenge June/July 2022 Winners
- Joanna
- Melania
- Petra
Congratulations! We will contact you shortly via email.
All those photos make me feel great in two entirely different ways.
First, I see that lots of people struggled the same way I did.
And, second, I also see that lots of people succeeded wonderfully.
Congrats, all!
b&
Thank you Ben! The majority of people were first time making bread in general, too! It’s also in the middle of summer, so many people have struggled with the humidity and heat (unpredictable fast rising!). 🙂 You did great, too!
Great recipe, I’m just finishing up the first rise and love the silky, smooth texture! A small tip: I grabbed some of that rubber-ish kitchen shelf liner, cut it to fit and placed it under my mixer. When I turn the speed to 6, it doesn’t move across the counter. I’m not saying you should walk away or not keep an eye on things, but you don’t have to hold it unless you really want to. It pretty much stays put.
Hi Judy! That’s a great tip! Thanks so much for sharing it with us!
I have been in search of the perfect shokupan recipe since it’s really hard to get shokupan where we live and it’s expensive. I tried another recipe but found the taste was not the same. I came across your article as I was in search of the traditional Japanese shokupan tins and I bought a couple off of Amazon Japan’s site. It finally arrived and I tried your recipe last night. It’s SPOT on! The taste and texture is perfect. I need to adjust the baking time and let it proof longer, but otherwise pure perfection!! Thank you for all the information you shared as it made the process so much easier!
Hi Diane! Awww! I’m so so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Your loaf looks wonderful! Hope you can fine-tune the baking time/temperature etc. I’m so excited for you! Hope you enjoy making more shokupan in the future!
Most definitely! Already have plans to make another one next weekend! 😂🍞😋
I just submitted my photo! Very excited! Shokupan came out great! Thank you Nami for creating and sharing this recipe! 😊
Thank you Mariko!! I’m so happy your shokupan came out well. 🙂
Hi, would like to try this recipe and enter the challenge, do I need to mold exactly in the mold that you use?
if I add some raisin, do I still qualify for the challenge?
thank you
Hi Dew! You don’t have to buy the loaf pan from Japan (one I used), but you should use a loaf pan to bake this recipe. Some used a typical pound cake pan (wider top than the bottom). The JOC cooking challenge is all about everyone trying the same recipe, except for substitution due to the dietary restriction or lack of ingredients, etc. So feel free to add different ingredients for your own loaf, but not for the challenge. 🙂 Looking forward to your shokupan!
Hi Nami, I would like to try this recipe but unfortunately, my family is allergic to dairy, is there any way I can substitute it with soymilk or almond milk? Thanks.
Hi T.K, the best substitute is coconut milk powder. You may smell it while you are making it, but you can’t trace it once it’s baked and it will be successful outcome!
Aloha Namiko, good news my loaf pan arrived yesterday also tested positive for covid yesterday : (
So I’ll put this on hold until next week
Hi Mark! Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that. I hope the symptoms are mild and you get through this as soon as possible. Take good care.
Mahalo Namiko Chen, I’m almost 100% better and I am going to attempt making Japanese Milk Bread this weekend. Pictures soon!!!! Have a wonderful safe weekend with your Ohana
Hi Mark! I’m glad you’re feeling better. Good luck, and I look forward to seeing your pictures!
Namiko, I sent a message earlier but maybe you did not receive it. I followed all the directions, watched the video twice, purchased equipement just like you used (even a scale, little rolling pin and square pans etc.). The bread was a big hit for my family. However, bread was a ’round loaf’ because during the final rising process before baking it rose to the top of the cube pan so I could not put the top on it.
The bread baked and got taller and taller by the minute! It started to smoke in my oven. I watched it for 20 minutes making sure it would not burn. IT DID NOT BURN but maybe when I doubled the recipe something was changed? I want to make it again but will wait for your response. I’ll take a photo of it the next time and enter the contest! Thanks for all of your recipes and great videos. You are a wonderful teacher.
Hi Carol! I checked the comments and emails but this is the first email I received. Let me know if I am missing some info. 🙂
Thank you for trying this recipe! Hmm, maybe you live in a warmer place and the internal temperature of your dough was higher when it’s done shaping or even after you put the pan in the oven. The smoke could be from the grease. Did you apply too much? If you are using non-stick loaf pans (different from mine), you could reduce the butter (or spray oil) a bit more and spread it out nicely with a brush. You don’t want your bread to get stuck so it’s important that the loaf pan is greased, but not too much that is not necessary and smoke comes out. I do double the recipe (using “x2” button in the recipe card) to make 2 loaf pans at the same time, so doubling should not be an issue. Hope this helps!
Aloha Namiko Chen, I was wondering, dose the bread need to rise in the oven or can I wrap with plastic wrap and set outside on my Lanai? I live in Hawaii and it’s pretty warm,
Mahalo
Hi Mark! If you live in a warm environment (like nice Hawaii!!!), you don’t have to use an oven (proof setting or not), etc at all! You’re so lucky… 🙂 Good luck!
So if you don’t have a Kitchen Aid mixer, just an ordinary electric mixer, will this recipe work?
Hi LiB! Yes it works, but I can’t tell what speed, etc (as I don’t own it) but low/medium/medium-high speed would work? Please compare with my image as you go on. Good luck!
I have never shokupan nor am I usually fond of very soft breads but I am going to give this a try. I love making breads and have since I first started making it in my teens about 60 years ago. Wish me luck.
Hi Barbara! WOW, 60 years of experience! We look forward to seeing your entry and hearing about your experience! Good luck!
Hi! Does the recipe have to be from this website or can I use my own?
Hi Kristi! Yes, you have to use my Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan) recipe and that’s what this cooking challenge is about. 🤗
Hey! I think I am going to try this. Can i make it dairy and gluten free? I am allergic to both.
Hi Hazel! Yes, you can! I wish I can share my personal experience but I’ve never tried it. Coconut milk powder should work, but I’m not sure about GF bread flour, I hope it’s 1:1. Please keep us posted!
Is this challenge for US residents only? Thanks.
Hi Gemma! No, it’s worldwide. Hope you join the challenge!
Hihi. What does “recipe photo” mean? Do you want a photo of the end product? Or a photo of the recipe?
Hi Lillian! Take a picture of the final dish and send it to us! 🙂