‘An Pan’ is a Japanese sweet bread roll filled with ‘Azuki’ Red Bean Paste. ‘An (sweet paste filling) + Pan (bread)’ can be made with other fillings but the most popular filling is ‘Azuki’ Red Bean Paste.

Japan has a children’s super hero named ‘Anpan-man’ who’s head made of ‘An Pan’. The ‘Anpan-man’ stories are very popular and my children used to be totally mad about the anime adaptation series. I still have VHS video tapes.

Makes

12 Buns

Ingredients

Bread Flour 2 cups
Salt 1/2 teaspoon
Yeast 1 teaspoon
Sugar 2 tablespoons
Milk 3/4 cup *warmed
Egg 1 *save about 1/2 tablespoon for brushing the rolls later
Butter 20g *melted
‘Tsubu-an’ (‘Azuki’ Red Bean Paste)

Method
  1. Heat Milk and Sugar in microwave for 30 seconds. When it is warm, add Yeast and mix well.
  2. Combine Bread Flour, Salt, Egg, Butter and the yeast mixture. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
  3. Brush a large bowl with oil, place the dough and cover with a plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size.
  4. Make 1 heaped tablespoon of ‘Tsubu-an’ into a ball, and make 12 balls.
  5. Turn the dough onto lightly floured surface and divide the dough into 12 even portions. Flatten each portion to about 10cm disc, place 1 ball of ‘Tsubu-an’, and bring the dough together to enclose pinching the edges.
  6. Place the bun, sealed side down, on baking paper on a baking tray. Repeat with the remaining dough, then set aside for about 1 hour to rise.
  7. Preheat oven to 180°C. Add small amount of water to the remaining egg, brush the top of the buns with the egg mixture, and bake for 15 minutes or until nicely brown.