Name: Anpan Recipe
Total time: 240 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Japanese

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Are you a big fan of japanese pastry and baked goods? If yes, youd enjoy anpan, a classic japanese pastry with sweet red bean paste inside a soft bread. This homemade version comes with step-by-step tutorial to guide you through the bread-making process. 

How to make Anpan Recipe

Namiko Chen

Crawler

Japanese

<p>Are you a big fan of japanese pastry and baked goods? If yes, youd enjoy anpan, a classic japanese pastry with sweet red bean paste inside a soft bread. This homemade version comes with step-by-step tutorial to guide you through the bread-making process. </p>

Eggetarian

Bread Flour

Cake Flour

Kosher/sea salt

Instant Yeast

Large egg

Whole milk

Water

Unsalted butter

Red bean paste (for anpan,  i like "tsubuan",  a coarse red bean paste,  but you can use "koshian",  a fine paste.  you can make my pressure cooker anko recipe or stove top anko recipe

step 1

In a large bowl, combine bread flour (225 g; measure 2 cups and remove 2 tbsp), cake flour (25 g; 3 tbsp), granulated sugar (50 g; cup), kosher salt (4 g; 1 tsp), and dry yeast (3 g; 1 tsp).

step 2

Beat 1 large egg in a small bowl and add to the bowl with dry ingredients.

step 3

Add milk (50 ml; 3 tbsp + 1 tsp) and water (50 ml; 3 tbsp + 1 tsp), both of which have been kept at 86f (30c).

step 4

Using your fingertips or a wooden spoon, gently mix the ingredients together until they are combined. In the beginning, the dough is very sticky and wet, but keep mixing until it forms a loose, sticky ball. Also, use the dough to pick up the flour on the sides of the mixing bowl. This step should take about 2 minutes.

step 5

Sprinkle a clean, stable surface with flour and transfer the dough from the bowl. Press the heels of your hands into the dough, pushing forward slightly. Fold the top half of the dough in half back toward you. Rock forward on the lower part of your palm to press it flat. Turn the dough slightly (to clockwise), fold it in half, and rock into it again with the lower part of your palm. This process is called "punching" the dough and the goal is to lengthen and stretch the gluten strands in the dough. Repeat for 5 minutes or so. Tip:if the dough doesn't seem to be losing its stickiness, sprinkle more flour over the top and work it into the dough. You can lightly dust your hands with flour to keep the dough from sticking too much.

step 6

After punching for 5 minutes and the dough gets more elastic, press and stretch the dough for 10 inches (25 cm). Then put small cubes of unsalted butter (35 g; 2 tbsp) unsalted butter on top of the dough. Roll up the dough tucking the butter in, and then continue the kneading process.

step 7

Your hands, dough, and the working surface will get oily and messy in the beginning. I recommend using a metal/silicone dough scraper to collect the dough stuck on the working surface.

step 8

As you knead, the dough will absorb the butter and it will eventually become very smooth and easier to work with.

step 9

When the dough becomes smooth, start banging the dough onto the counter and fold it over away from you. This helps develop the gluten (elasticity). Bang the dough, turn it 90 degrees, and punch it, using the lower part of your palm. Continue this process for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth, supple, and silky. Tip:dont let go of the dough when you are banging onto the counter. Dont let it rest for too long between turns.

step 10

Near the end, pull the end of your dough with your thumb and fingers. Keep spreading the dough with your fingers, stretching the dough into the thin translucent membrane. This test is called "windowpane. " test to see if the dough's gluten has been developed enough. Your dough is now ready to rise. If the dough tears, the gluten isnt quite ready yet. Knead the dough for another 2 minutes and test again.

step 11

Shape the dough into a ball by pulling all sides of the ball to the bottom and pinching them together.

step 12

Place the dough in a bowl (the seam on the bottom) and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1-2 hours. I use a proof setting (100f/38c) in my oven.

step 13

Once the dough has doubled in size, dust your index finger with flour and put it in the center of the dough. If the hole doesnt close, then the dough is ready for next step.

step 14

Press the dough with your hands to release gas in the dough and deflate.

step 15

Fold both sides of the dough toward center.

step 16

Then fold in thirds toward the middle. Flip, keeping the seam side on the bottom.

step 17

Shape the dough into a ball, rotating (clockwise) with both hands while the seam line is touching the work surface.

step 18

Using a dough scraper cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. If you need to adjust the size of dough, pinch off the center of the big dough and add to the center of the small dough and knead to combine well.

step 19

Shape each dough piece into a nice round ball, pulling from all the sides and tuck into the bottom. Place the dough on your left (right) palm, and rotate it with your right (left) hand, keeping the seam side on the bottom.

step 20

Put the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Cover the dough with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying. Rest the dough for 15 minutes at room temperature.

step 21

After resting, flatten the dough with your hand, fold in thirds twice (just like you did earlier), and shape it into balls.

step 22

Press the dough so stretches to 3 inch (8 cm) diameter. Then put 35 g of red bean paste in the middle of the dough. Then pull all sides of the dough around and wrap the red bean paste tightly to seal.

step 23

Pinch the seam very well and put the seam on the bottom. Place the dough on your left (right) palm, and rotate it with your right (left) hand a few times, keeping the seam side on the bottom. Put the dough back into the baking sheet, seam side on the bottom.

step 24

Cover the dough with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying. Let the dough rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 30 minutes (i used the proof setting (100f/38c) in my oven). When the dough has risen halfway, preheat the oven to 400f (200c). For a convection oven, reduce cooking temperature by 25f (15c). Note:if you are using the oven for proof, you have to transfer the dough to a warmer place so you can preheat the oven.

step 25

In a small bowl, add 1 egg and 2 tbsp water and whisk very well. Using a pastry brush, brush all sides of the dough with an egg wash.

step 26

Put 2 tsp black sesame seeds in a small bowl. Dip the flat round side of a rolling pin (about inch (1. 9 cm) diameter) in the egg wash and black sesame seeds and stamp on top of the dough. Alternatively, you can simply sprinkle the black sesame seeds on top.

step 27

Bake at 400f (200c) for 13-15 minutes. Toward the end of baking if you see the bread is not being browning equally, rotate the bread once so that the bread gets equal color.

step 28

Once the bread is baked, transfer to a wire rack and let it cool. Serve warm or at room temperature immediately. Enjoy!

Anpan Recipe

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Ingredients for Anpan Recipe

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