In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the warm water (120g), warm milk (360g for classic, 240g if using tangzhong), and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

Sprinkle the yeast over the surface of the liquid. Give it a gentle stir.

Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy and smells yeasty. This confirms your yeast is alive and ready to work.

If you made tangzhong, add the cooled paste to the yeast mixture and stir to combine.

Add the bread flour (700g for classic, 660g if using tangzhong since some went into the paste) and salt to the bowl.

Using a dough hook on low speed, or a wooden spoon if mixing by hand, combine everything until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains. This takes about 2 minutes.

Add the softened butter pieces and continue mixing until the butter is incorporated.

Increase mixer speed to medium-low (speed 2-3 on a KitchenAid). Knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl but may still stick slightly to the bottom.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by pushing the dough away with the heel of your hand, folding it back over itself, and rotating 90 degrees. Repeat for 10-12 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Pull off a small piece of dough and gently stretch it between your fingers. If you can stretch it thin enough to see light through without it tearing, gluten development is complete.

Shape the dough into a smooth ball by tucking the edges underneath.

Lightly grease a large bowl with butter or oil.

Place the dough ball in the bowl, turning once to coat with oil.

Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap.

Let rise in a warm spot (75-80°F is ideal) until doubled in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours.

Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans with butter or non-stick spray.

Gently punch down the risen dough to release the large gas bubbles.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a bench scraper or knife, divide into two equal pieces (about 650g each if you have a scale).

Pat each piece into a rough rectangle, about 8x6 inches.

Starting from a short end, roll the dough tightly into a log, pinching the seam to seal as you go.

Place each log seam-side down into a prepared loaf pan. Press gently to fill the corners of the pan.

Cover the loaf pans loosely with a damp towel or greased plastic wrap.

Let rise in a warm spot until the dough has risen about 1 inch above the rim of the pan, about 45-60 minutes. The dough should look puffy and spring back slowly when gently poked.

About 15 minutes before the loaves are ready, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

For a golden, shiny crust, brush the tops of the loaves with a beaten egg or milk.

Place the pans on the center rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

The bread is done when the tops are deep golden brown, the internal temperature reads 190-200°F (88-93°C), and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

If the tops are browning too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes.

Immediately after removing from the oven, turn the loaves out of the pans onto a wire cooling rack. If desired, brush the tops with melted butter for a softer crust.

Let the loaves cool completely on the rack, at least 45 minutes to 1 hour. I know it's hard to wait!

Use a serrated bread knife for clean slices. Aim for slices about ½ inch thick for sandwiches.