Matcha Petit Anpan - Bread

Method

• Combine the egg yolk, matcha liquor, milk together and mix.
• Put all ingredients for the bread dough except the butter in the bread machine.
• Add the yeast according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Start the dough kneading course.
• After kneading 5 minutes, add butter and let the bread machine do the job until the 1st proofing.
• After the 1st proofing, take out the dough, and press gently with your hands to eliminate air.
• Divide the dough into 15 pieces using a scraper and shape each dough round.
• One piece of dough will be about 32 g.
• Cover the dough with a tightly wrung out kitchen towel and let it sit for 10 minutes.
• After letting the dough sit, roll out each dough into a 10cm diameter round shape.
• The middle part should be a little thicker creating a gentle mound shape.
• Flip over the dough.
• Make a dent with your palm and place the dough on.
• Place the sweetened bean paste on the dough using an an-spatula.
• When placing the sweetened bean past on the dough, make the dent of you palm deeper while pressing the sweetened beans paste in, then the dough around will come up.
• Pinch the dough around and close the seam completely.
• The seam will not stick together if there is sweetened bean paste on it, so be careful.
• One piece will be about 30g.
• It will be much easier if you use the lower parts of your fingers.
• If you are not good at using the an-spatula to stuff the sweetened bean paste, divide the sweetened beans paste and make them round in advance.
• Place the seam down, and roll the dough with your hands to shape it nicely.
• Press the dough from above and make it flat.
• Use the bread-rising function of the oven let the dough sit in 35C for 40 to 45 minutes for the 2nd proofing.
• When the dough increases in size by 1.5 times it is ready.
• The picture shows the state before the second proofing.
• I check whether the proofing is finished by gently touching the surface of the dough with my index finger.
• If it feels sticky, I let it proof a bit longer.
• When the texture feels more springy and it doesn't sticks to your finger, then the dough has proofed enough.
• If the dough starts to sag, then it was proofed too long.
• The picture is for after the 2nd proofing.
• After proofing, start preheating the oven to 200C.
• In the mean time, brush beaten egg onto the surface of the dough and stick black sesame seeds to top.
• The black sesame seeds will stick nicely if you use a rolling pin.
• Moisten the tip of the rolling pin and stick the black sesame seeds on.
• Then press the tip of the rolling pin onto the dough like a stamp.
• The black sesame seeds will stick nicely.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 190C and bake for about 15 minutes.
• How long to bake depends on the oven, so adjust the baking time according to your oven.
• Let the anpan cool on a rack when they are done.
• This is how it looks when the anpan is cut into half.
• Fully loaded with the anko.
• The green matcha color is also beautiful.
• The alcohol in the matcha liquor evaporates when you bake it.
• The anpan will not have the liquor taste, but the flavor will remain.
• You can get this in a baking specialty store or in a big supermarket, so please give it a try.