Red bean buns (anpan)

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Combine 250 g bread flour, 35 g superfine sugar, 10 g milk powder and 4 g instant yeast in the mixer bowl, add 40 g eggs and 125 g whole milk and knead on low speed, then add 4 g salt and 25 g softened unsalted butter and knead for about fifteen minutes more. Milk powder gives the crumb a rich, milky aroma and helps the crust brown more beautifully. The dough is ready when it is soft and silky, no longer sticks to the bowl and stretches into a thin membrane without tearing.

   Suggested time: about 15 minutes.

   Mark step 1 as done

2. Step 2

   Put the dough in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave it somewhere warm for about an hour to rise. Only a fully risen dough gives the soft, fine, stretchy crumb typical of Japanese bread. It is ready when it has doubled, the surface is taut and there are lots of small air holes underneath.

   Suggested time: about 60 minutes.

   Mark step 2 as done

3. Step 3

   Divide 360 g sweet red bean paste into eight portions and roll them into balls, then punch down the dough, weigh it into eight equal pieces and let them rest under a towel for ten minutes. Firmly rolled filling makes wrapping quick and gives the buns a balanced shape. Everything is ready when the filling balls do not stick to your hands and the dough pieces are soft and easy to flatten.

   Mark step 3 as done

4. Step 4

   Press each piece of dough into a round that is thin at the edges and thicker in the middle, set a ball of filling in the center, then pull the edges up and pinch them firmly to seal, placing the seam side down. Thin edges keep the bottom from getting bulky once gathered. The buns are right when they are evenly round, no filling shows and the seams are pressed tightly shut.

   Mark step 4 as done

5. Step 5

   Arrange the buns on a parchment-lined tray, press them down lightly with your palm, cover with plastic wrap and proof for about 40 minutes, preheating the oven to 180°C in the meantime. Flattening spreads the filling evenly and keeps a hollow from forming above it. The buns are ready when they have grown to about one and a half times their size and feel soft as cotton when touched.

   Suggested time: about 40 minutes.

   Mark step 5 as done

6. Step 6

   Beat 25 g eggs and brush a very thin layer over the buns, then dip the end of a small pestle or a bottle cap in water, dab it into 3 g black sesame seeds and press it gently into the center of each bun. The dent in the middle holds the sesame and keeps the bun from doming too high in the center. They are ready when the tops are evenly glossy and each one has a neat round dot of sesame right in the middle.

   Mark step 6 as done

7. Step 7

   Bake at 180°C for about 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops turn a deep chestnut brown. Sweet buns are high in sugar and brown quickly, so cover them with foil if they darken too soon. They are done when the tops are evenly glossy brown, the sides are pale golden and they feel light when picked up.

   Bake at 180°C for about 12 to 15 minutes.

   Mark step 7 as done

8. Step 8

   Move the buns to a wire rack and let them cool for about 15 minutes, then put them in an airtight bag as soon as they are no longer warm. Bagging them at this point locks in moisture and keeps the crust as soft as bakery bread. They are ready when they no longer feel warm and, broken open, show a fine white crumb hugging the filling.

   Suggested time: about 15 minutes.

   Mark step 8 as done