Light and airy black sesame loaf bread made using the Poolish method. This loaf of…
Brown Sugar Raisin Bread (Yudane)
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.
These are cottony soft brown sugar raisin bread made using the Yudane method. These buns are soft, but slightly denser and spongy in texture. The Yudane method imparts sweetness to the bread and allows the bread to remain soft and moist, even after 3 days!
How Different Is This Brown Sugar Raisin Bread?
This bread recipe uses the Yudane method, which originated from Japan. It is said to be able to help homemade bread stay soft and fluffy for days.
It is very easy to make the Yudane. Just mix the bread flour and hot boiling water together on the day / night before you make the bread. This heated starch will gelatinise, which will allow the bread dough to absorb and hold more liquid. With more liquid content, it will make soft and moist bread, with an unique “sweet” flavor.
How To Make The Yudane?
As mentioned, for Yudane, you will pour hot boiling water into the flour and mix well. The hot water should be at least 90C, so I would recommend using water that is just boiled.
Once the Yudane is mixed well together, wrap up in cling wrap and store in fridge overnight. It may appear slightly dry as you mix, but it should be able to come together in a dough.
What Ingredients Are Needed For This Brown Sugar Raisin Bread?
Here are the 8 ingredients:
- Bread Flour: I am using Prima’s unbleached bread flour. You can also use any type of high protein flour you prefer.
- Hot Boiling Water: Use the water immediately just after boiling it so that it will be hot enough.
- Whole Milk
- Unsalted Butter: I like to use Paysan Breton butter for its reasonable pricing for everyday use.
- Brown Sugar: I’m using brown sugar from Japan, which states 黑糖 on the package. I find it gives deeper flavor to the bread, compared to the usual light brown sugar we get from supermarkets. You can definitely use the usual brown sugar or just caster sugar for this recipe if you don’t have any Japanese brown sugar in your pantry.
- Instant Yeast
- Salt: I use pink sea salt here, but you can use any type of salt you usually use in your cooking.
- Raisins
I also used some milk to brush the top of the bread dough before sprinkling with some oats. The oats will stick to the dough surface better this way. This step is totally optional. You can simply just leave the top empty without oats or glaze.
>> MORE YUMMY BREAD RECIPES:
- Passion Fruit Cranberry Loaf Bread
- Kitty Bread Buns
- Pandan Killer Toast
- 5 Stars Soft White Bread
- Wu Pao Chun Champion Toast
How Do These Raisin Bread Buns Taste Like?
I LOVE IT!
The buns are soft and moist! While they are not super fluffy, they are very “cottony”, spongy but slightly dense in texture.
You will also notice these buns can keep really well. On Day 3, the buns were still soft and not dry at all! I highly recommend using Yudane for homemade bread, if you prefer soft but dense homemade bread.
I also enjoyed the subtle sweetness from the brown sugar and raisins in the bread. The flavors complement each other really well!

How Can I Store The Bread?
You can store these bread buns in airtight container, under normal room temperature. The buns should keep well up to 5 days, however as it is quite moist, I would recommend to eat it within 3-4 days.

Brown Sugar Raisin Bread
- Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 8"x8" Baking Pan (12 Buns) 1x
Description
These are cottony soft brown sugar raisin bread made using the Yudane method. These buns are soft, but slightly denser and spongy in texture. The Yudane method imparts sweetness to the bread and allows the bread to remain soft and moist, even after 3 days!
Ingredients
Yudane
- 50g Bread Flour
- 40g Hot, Boiling Water
Bread Dough
- 150g Whole Milk, Chilled
- 15g Japanese Brown Sugar
- 3g Instant Dry Yeast
- 10g Unsalted Butter, Chilled
- 200g Bread Flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 65g Raisins
Topping
- Milk, for brushing
- Oats
Instructions
Yudane
- Make Yudane the day or night before: Place bread flour in a bowl. Add hot boiling water into bowl and mix well. Cling wrap dough and place in fridge overnight.
Bread Dough
- Pour milk into inner bread pan of bread machine or mixing bowl.
- Add sugar, butter, yeast. Tear Yudane into pieces and add it in, followed by bread flour, salt.
- Turn on bread machine to dough kneading mode, or mix the dough with your mixer.
- Add in raisin after kneading dough for about 5 mins.
- When dough is mixed to window pane stage (or when bread machine kneading mode ends), roll the dough into a round ball and let proof for about 1 hour. Place a piece of cling wrap or clean damp cloth over the dough to prevent drying.
- Punch dough down and divide into 12 portions with a scraper. Roll them into round balls of dough.
- Place dough into lined or greased 8″ x 8″ baking tray. Place cling wrap or cloth over the tray. Proof 2nd time for about 1 hour.
- Just before proofing ends, preheat oven to 180C. Brush the top of each bread dough with milk and sprinkle with oats. Bake in preheated oven at 180C for about 20-25 mins.
Notes
Recipe adapted with thanks from Chopstick Chronicles
- Prep Time: 2 Hour 45 Mins
- Cook Time: 20 Mins
- Category: Bread
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Japanese
Keywords: Bread
Leave a Reply