Azuki (Red Beans) Paste is a very popular ingredient for Japanese sweets. It can be used for the European style sweets as well. Sweet bread roll filled with Azuki Paste is called ‘An Pan’ and it has become quite famous. You can find my ‘An Pan’ recipe on this website.

Azuki Paste matches Matcha flavour so well. This sweet bread can be formed as you like. Twisted, plaited, rolled or round like ‘An Pan’. We can find so many tutorial videos on the internet these days. I want to thank those creative people for sharing their technics.

Makes

4 Servings

Ingredients

1 cup ‘Tsubu-an’ (Azuki Paste)
*Note: It’s easy to make. Cook 1/2 cup Azuki (Red Beans) to make 1 cup ‘Tsubu-an’ (Azuki Paste). Learn the method.
For Bread Dough
3/4 cup Warm Milk
1 teaspoon Dry Yeast
1 teaspoon Sugar
2 cups Bread Flour
2 tablespoons Caster Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon Matcha Powder
1 Egg *lightly whisked
30g Butter *melted

Method
  1. Heat Milk and Sugar in microwave for 30 seconds. When it is warm, add Yeast and mix well.
  2. In a large bowl, combine Bread Flour, Caster Sugar, Salt and Matcha Powder. Add the yeast mixture, Egg and Butter. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding extra flour as required. Cover with a plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size.
  3. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out into a very large rectangle. You will need to fold the dough in three. Cover 2/3 of the dough with ‘Tsubu-an’ (Azuki Paste), fold in the uncovered side, then fold the other side in. Seal the edges.
  4. Gently roll out the folded dough to make slightly larger, then cut in half lengthways. Cut each rectangle into 3 strips and plait. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes. Preheat over to 180℃.
  5. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. If you want to avoid browning the top, cover with foil.
  6. *Note: This sweet bread can be formed as you like. Twisted, plaited, rolled or rounded.