Tangzhong

Tangzhong, also called a water roux or, in Japanese, yudane, is a baking paste made by cooking flour in water or milk above 65 degrees Celsius. The Chinese characters of its name mean hot water seed, and the paste works by gelling into a form that stabilizes the wheat starches in bread, preventing the recrystallization that causes staling. Bread made with a tangzhong bakes with a soft, fluffy texture and stays fresh longer than bread made without it.