red bean bread

How to Make Red Bean Bread: A Complete Guide

Red bean bread, a beloved treat in Asian bakeries, combines soft, fluffy dough with sweet red bean paste. Here’s a simple guide to making it at home.

Ingredients: For the dough, you’ll need 300g bread flour, 30g sugar, 3g salt, 30g butter, 1 egg, 120ml warm milk, and 2g yeast. For the filling, use 200g sweet red bean paste (store-bought or homemade).

Steps:

1. Activate yeast: Mix warm milk and yeast, 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 for 10 minutes until elastic.

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

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

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

6. Bake: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Brush tops with milk or egg wash. Bake for 15–18 minutes until golden.

Tips: For extra flavor, add a pinch of cinnamon to the dough. Serve warm or toasted with butter. Enjoy your homemade red bean bread!