Red Bean Bread Recipe

Soak beans

Rinse 1 cup dried adzuki beans under cold water. Place in a bowl and cover with ~3 cups water. Soak for 4–8 hours or overnight until beans swell and are softer; drain and rinse.

Cook beans

Place soaked, drained beans in a medium saucepan with 3 cups fresh water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for 45–60 minutes until beans are very tender and break easily when pressed between fingers. Skim foam as needed and add extra water (¼ cup at a time) if the pot gets too dry.

Sweeten and mash

When beans are tender, drain off excess water, reserving a few tablespoons of cooking liquid. Return beans to the pot over low heat. Add 2 tbs granulated sugar, 2 tbs brown sugar and 1 tsp salt. Mash the beans with a potato masher or back of a spoon to your desired texture: smooth (keep cooking and stir vigorously) or slightly chunky. If mixture seems too dry for spreading, add 1–2 tbs reserved cooking liquid. Cook and stir for 5–8 minutes until paste thickens. Stir in 1 tsp vegetable oil if using to give a glossy finish. Taste and adjust sweetness.

Cool

Transfer paste to a bowl, cover with plastic touching the surface to prevent a skin, and cool to room temperature. Chill in refrigerator if you plan to shape later; paste should be firm enough to roll into logs or divide into portions (this recipe yields about 1 to 1 1/4 cups paste).

Whisk 3 tbs bread flour with 6 tbs water in a small saucepan until smooth. Cook over low–medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a translucent paste and coats the back of a spoon (about 1–2 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm before using.

Activate yeast

Warm 1 cup milk to about 100–110°F (38–43°C). Stir in 2 tsp active dry yeast and 2 tbs granulated sugar. Let sit 5–8 minutes until foamy. If it doesn't foam, yeast may be inactive—use fresh yeast.

Mix dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (or a large mixing bowl), combine 2 cups bread flour and 1 tsp salt. Add the cooled tangzhong, the yeast-milk mixture, 1 whole egg, and 3 tbs softened butter. Mix on low speed until ingredients come together, then increase to medium and knead for 8–10 minutes until dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. If dough is too sticky, add up to 2 tbs more flour; if too dry, add 1 tsp milk at a time.

First rise

Shape dough into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 60–90 minutes depending on room temperature.

Divide and rest

After rising, gently deflate the dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 8 equal portions (about 70–80 g each). Cover the portions with a towel and let rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.

Shape with filling

Prepare the sweet red bean paste into 8 equal portions (about 2 tbsp / 25–30 g each). Flatten one dough piece into a 3–4 inch disk, place one portion of paste in the center, and wrap the dough around the paste, pinching the seams tightly to seal. Tuck the seam side down and roll gently to form a smooth ball. Repeat with remaining pieces.

Second rise

Place filled buns seam-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment, leaving 1–2 inches between buns. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise for 30–45 minutes until puffy.

Egg wash and bake

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Whisk 1 whole egg with 1 tsp milk for egg wash and brush gently over the buns. Sprinkle sesame seeds if desired. Bake for 14–18 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom. If tops brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last few minutes.

Cool and serve

Remove buns from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store cooled buns in an airtight container up to 2 days at room temperature or refrigerate up to 5 days; reheat briefly before serving.