Friday, August 14, 2009

Anpan Bread (Milk bread recipe)

Now that I've found this milk loaf recipe, and falling in love with it, I'm sticking to this recipe for now. With a few really good recipes on hand, I can have some variations in my bread making :-)

I made some buns with the frozen red bean paste that had been sitting in my freezer since April :P I've always wanted to make Anpan Bread but kept forgetting to thaw the red bean paste.

When I did the Matcha bread, I used only 1 egg. Original recipe calls for eggs in weight but I was lazy to measure out the egg, thus I just throw in the whole egg. Today, I decided to use 1.5 eggs and reduce milk slightly but the dough turned out very sticky, almost impossible to shape. I had to keep oiling my hands and dust the counter top with flour. I weighed the salt (I didn't the last time) but it turned out too salty. The next time I make this, I'm definitely going to reduce the salt content.

I started off being very generous with the paste and realised that I don't have enough fillings for the buns. Those without sesame seeds are just plain milk bread without fillings.

And I did something fanciful, flower buns :) And the 3 that looks like caterpillar, I filled them up with nutella spread. DD1 likes the look of the flower buns but prefer eating the nutella bread.

I don't usually egg wash my bread but since I've got 1/2 egg balance, I use it to stick the sesame seeds and did the glazing.

This bread stays soft even on the 3rd day, kept at the counter in transparent plastic bag ^-^

The paste is slightly too dry, must remember not to over dry it next time.

Anpan Bread (milk bread recipe)
Ingredients

240g fresh/UHT milk
1.5 eggs
50g caster sugar
10g salt
500g bread flour
2tsp Instant yeast
70g butter (unsalted)

Method

  1. Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Let the machine knead for 15mins, stop the cycle and re-start the machine and let the dough knead for another cycle.
  2. Let it proof in machine for 30 - 45 mins or till double in size.
  3. When proofing is completed, punch down the bread dough to release the air.
  4. Shape into small balls and let the dough rest for 10 -15 mins.
  5. Roll out dough and wrap with red bean paste. Shape as required and let it proof on lined or greased baking tray for another 50-60 mins or until dough is double in size.
  6. Bake at pre-heated oven at 180C for 30 to 35mins.
  7. Remove bread to cool on rack completely.

11 comments:

cherry potato said...

All the breads and buns you made are soft!! I'm hungry.....

Blessed Homemaker said...

Thanks for your kind words. Do give this recipe a try, it's really nice.

Anonymous said...

what wonderful breads you have made. I do not have a bread machine, is it possible to knead by hand?
Thanks
Rose

Blessed Homemaker said...

Hi Rose,
Yes, you can still knead by hand but it will be a tedious process.

Anonymous said...

another recipe with pictures to make your bread step by step:
http://patisnet.fr/Recettes/en/MilkBread.php

Anonymous said...

i have try to bake bread for past weekend but unfortunately, the result of the bread is so hard at the top and bottom part. What is the problem? it is becos of the oven temperature as the inside of the bread seems not 100% cook. How can i ensure that the inside is 100% cook but at the same time the outer part is soft? i knead by hand. before in the oven i can feel the dough is very soft and double in size but the result is unacceptable. please advice

Blessed Homemaker said...

Anony,
I suspect you may have under-kneaded your dough ie not enough gluten. Also, you may have underbaked the bread.

Dorina said...

I've tried your recipe ....wonderful.Thanks!

Blessed Homemaker said...

Dorina,
Thanks for trying out this recipe and I'm glad you like it!

Anonymous said...

hello i just tried out this recipe using the bluesky breadmachine, but when i try to slice the bread, the bread crumbles..any idea where i did wrong? Or this cannot be bake using a breadmachine?

Qingling (feb mum :))

Blessed Homemaker said...

Did you wait till the bread is completely cool before slicing?