Soft green tea red bean buns or Anpan (あんパン) , using Tangzhong or roux mix method.

 

What are red bean buns?

Red bean buns also known as Anpan (あんパン) is classic Japanese soft bread roll wrapped around sweet red bean paste.

Japanese red bean buns are mostly without matcha.


But I added matcha powder or Japanese green tea powder was added to my dough, makes a lovely contrast to the look and these red bean buns tasted amazing delicious.

Japanese has Anpan, Chinese has red bean bao (豆沙包, Dou Sha Bao), steamed red bean buns.

Both makes delicious breakfast or to snack at anytime of the day.

 

How to make Red bean Buns?

A list of ingredients and step by step method are at the bottom of this post.

However, a quick guide on how to bake a perfect red bean buns as follows:

 
1.  List of ingredients to bake Japanese red bean buns, is in the recipe card below.

 
2. Sweet red bean paste rolled into balls.
Check out my previous post on How to make sweet red bean paste

 
3. Mix the dough until the dough reached its 'window pane' state.
Watch the video either at the top or the bottom of this post.

 
4. Wrap the soft dough around sweet red bean balls

 
5. Let the dough rest and proof to double its size.
Brush with milk and sprinkle sesame seeds

 
6. Baked and brush with butter

 
7. Serve Anpan (あんパン) for breakfast or as snack anytime of the day!

How long can these red bean buns last?

I would say 3 days that these red bean buns stays soft and pillowy.

But if you are in a 'cold' country, you might want to warm these buns in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds.

How to store red bean buns?

Always keep them in an air tight container, to keep them soft and fresh.

 

What do I do with left over red bean paste?

If you have some leftover red bean paste, make some mochi.
It is very easy to make and very tasty.

Video on How to Bake Red Bean Buns

 

What I wrote on 20th Feb 2015

One day she came home with a small carrier bag in hand. I could see the word Utopia printed on the bag.

I have something that you will like, Mom... she said.
She took out a packet of 6 Green tea and red bean buns

...followed by : Mom, can you try to make these? ;P

I love baking bread... love the smell of the yeasty dough... love the smell of bread baking in the oven...
On good days,  my bread will be good, and on not so good days, it'll be...  pfffft!!!

I am over the fact that home bake bread can never be as white as store-bought or bakeries breads. Yellow is good... it means no bleaching, no chemical is used to strip the nutrients in the wheat. And I also know for a fact that European bread is more dense than Asian bread...
... but I failed to bake bread that stay soft the next day!!!(I am talking about Asian bread here...). To make matters worse... there is this annoying little voice, buzzing around me like a fly (wish I had a swat then :p) .... saying 'They are soft today but they'll be as hard as cardboard tomorrow!!'
grrrrr  >:(

.. a-ha!!! but not these buns, they stay soft for 3 days :D
What happen after the 3rd day?
....sorry :(  I cant comment here.... they were all gone by then ;P

I've experimented using various method, but I prefer using the tang zhong or Roux mix.

Tang zhong method has been used by the Japanese, to achieve soft and fluffy bread, it was popularised by Yvonne Chen in the 90's.

Next I intend to use Dan Lepard's "10 sec knead, 10 minutes rest" method, will I achieved the same texture?...We'll just have to wait and see :)