Classic Azuki Cream Anpan Recipe
2022-10-31
By Japanese Cuisine Master
Japanese Cuisine
Dessert
Make this delicious Japanese sweet bread with this easy Azuki Cream Anpan recipe. Perfect for any sweet craving!
Pitfalls on Azuki Cream Anpan
Making the bread dough: Anpan is a sweet bread bun that is made from a yeast-based dough. Getting the right consistency of the dough can be challenging, as it needs to be soft, elastic, and rising properly.
Preparing the Anko (sweet red bean paste): Anpan is typically filled with Anko, a sweet red bean paste. Making the Anko from scratch requires boiling and mashing the beans, then sweetening the mixture with sugar. Achieving the right sweetness and texture of the Anko can be challenging.
Shaping the dough and filling: Shaping the dough into a bun and filling it with Anko can be challenging. The filling needs to be evenly distributed inside the bun without overfilling or underfilling it.
Baking the Anpan: Baking Anpan requires getting the right temperature and baking time to achieve a perfectly golden brown crust while keeping the bun soft and fluffy.
Making the Azuki Cream: Some Anpan recipes call for a whipped cream and Anko filling instead of just Anko. Making the Azuki Cream can be a challenge, as it needs to be whipped to the right consistency and sweetness that complements the Anko filling and bread bun.
Serving and storing: Anpan is best served fresh but can also be stored in an airtight container. Storing Anpan without drying out or hardening the bread or the filling can be a challenge.
Ingredients
125 ml milk
1 tsp instant yeast
40g sugar
250g bread flour
15g unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt
kiri cream cheese
red bean paste
Instructions
Heat the milk in the microwave until lukewarm.
Add the instant yeast and sugar to the milk. Mix well.
In a mixing bowl, add bread flour, unsalted butter, and salt. Mix well.
Add the milk mixture to the bowl and mix until it becomes a dough.
Knead the dough on a floured surface until it becomes smooth.
Divide the dough into 9 equal parts and shape each into a ball.
Cover the dough balls with a damp cloth and let rest for 15 minutes.
Flatten each dough ball and put 1 tsp of kiri cream cheese and 1 tsp of red bean paste in the center.
Wrap the dough around the filling and seal the edges well.
Place the shaped dough balls on a baking sheet, seam side down.
Let the dough balls rest for another 10 minutes and preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
Bake the anpan for 13 to 15 minutes until they are lightly browned.
Remove the anpan from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
Serve and enjoy!
Preparation Time 20 min
Cook Time 25 min
Total time 45 min
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 220
Fat: 3.5 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 42 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 14 g
Protein: 6 g
Regional Ingredients Variations of Azuki Cream Anpan
Hokkaido, they may use Hokkaido red beans (tokachi azuki) to make the sweet red bean paste (anko) filling and add butter to the dough, creating a dish known as "Butter-Anpan" or "Tokachi Anpan".
Hiroshima, they may use a mix of sweetened white bean paste (shiro-an) and sweetened azuki bean paste (koshian) to make the filling, creating a dish known as "Shiro-koshi Anpan" or "Koshi-shiro Anpan".
Kyoto, they may add matcha powder to the dough and use sweetened white bean paste (shiro-an) as the filling, creating a dish known as "Matcha Shiro-an Anpan".
Okinawa, they may use Okinawan brown sugar (kokutou) in the dough and filling, creating a dish known as "Kokutou Anpan".
Tohoku region, they may add grated yam or mashed sweet potato to the dough and add sweetened white bean paste (shiro-an) and mashed chestnuts to the filling, creating a dish known as "Kinton Anpan" or "Kuri-shiro Anpan".
Make Azuki Cream Anpan at home with this easy Japanese recipe! This delicious sweet bread filled with red bean paste and cream cheese is perfect for any sweet craving. Share your delightful creations on social media using hashtags like #azukicreamanpan #Japanesesweetbread #redbeanpaste #creamcheese.