bean paste and flower bread recipe

How to Make Flower-Shaped Red Bean Bread

Flower-shaped red bean bread combines soft, fluffy dough with sweet red bean paste, decorated to resemble blooming flowers. Here’s a simple guide:

Ingredients: For the dough, you need 300g bread flour, 30g sugar, 3g salt, 30g unsalted butter, 1 egg, 120ml warm milk, and 3g yeast. For filling, use 200g sweet red bean paste.

Steps:

1. Activate yeast: Mix yeast with warm milk and let sit for 5 minutes until frothy.

2. Make dough: Combine flour, sugar, salt, and egg in a bowl. Pour in yeast mixture and knead until smooth. Add butter and knead until elastic (about 15 minutes).

3. First rise: Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for 1–2 hours until doubled.

4. Shape: Punch down dough and divide into 8 equal portions. Flatten each, wrap with red bean paste, and seal tightly. Roll into a ball.

5. Flower design: Flatten balls slightly. With a knife, cut 4–5 petals around the edge (avoid cutting the center). Twist petals outward to form a flower.

6. Second rise: Place on a baking sheet, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes.

7. Bake: Brush with egg wash. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 15–20 minutes until golden.

Tip: Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with glaze for extra sweetness. Enjoy these delicate, tasty treats with tea or coffee!