Japanese cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Anpan

A soft yeast bun filled with sweet red bean paste, baked glossy and sprinkled with poppy or sesame seeds.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 350 g flour
• 7 g dried yeast
• 50 g sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 160 ml whole milk
• 1 egg
• 40 g butter
• 300 g red bean paste (anko)
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Mix flour, dried yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl, add the lukewarm milk and the egg and knead for 10 min. into a smooth dough, then work in the soft butter until the dough turns silky and pulls away from the bowl.
2. Cover and let the dough rise for 60 min. in a warm spot until it has doubled in volume and a finger dent springs back slowly.
3. Roll the bean paste into eight equal balls of about 35 g each and set aside.
4. Knock back the dough, divide into eight pieces and flatten each into a 10 cm circle that is slightly thicker in the center than at the edge.
5. Place one anko ball in the center of each, gather the dough over it, seal the seam firmly and set the buns seam-side down on a tray; press lightly flat and let rise covered for 35 min.
6. Brush with the whisked egg yolk, press a little sesame into the center and bake at 180 °C top/bottom heat for 14–16 min. until golden brown, then cool on a rack.