Anpan with Sweet Red Bean Paste
Pillowy, milk-enriched Japanese buns wrapped around a generous ball of sweet red bean paste, glossy with egg wash and finished with a pinch of toasted black sesame seeds. Soft for days and not too sweet.
- Prep
- 56 min
- Cook
- 13 min
- Wait
- 2 hr 10 min
- Total
- 3 hr 19 min
- Makes
- 12 buns (about 3½ inches / 9 cm wide)
Steps
Before you start
- Take the egg and butter out of the fridge about 1 hour ahead so the egg is at room temperature and the butter is soft enough to dent with a finger.
- Warm the milk to 100–110°F (38–43°C): it should feel just slightly warm on your wrist. Hotter milk can kill the yeast.
- Use thick, firm red bean paste (koshian smooth or tsubuan chunky, store-bought or homemade). If it is loose or sticky, chill it for 30 minutes so it rolls cleanly.
- Plan for about 3¼ hours start to finish, most of it hands-off rising time. Preheat the oven during the last 20 minutes of the second proof.
Portion the bean paste
- Weigh the red bean paste into 12 portions of 30 g (about 1 oz) each.
- Roll each portion between your palms into a smooth ball about 1¼ inches (3 cm) wide.
- Place the balls on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature.
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Ready when: Balls are smooth, uniform, and hold their shape without cracking.
Tip: If the paste sticks to your hands, lightly dampen your palms with water or chill the paste for 30 minutes.
Mix the dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the bread flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast.
- Add the warm milk and beaten egg.
- With the dough hook on low speed (speed 2), mix for 3 minutes, stopping once to scrape the bowl, until no dry flour remains and a rough, sticky dough forms.
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Ready when: No dry flour patches remain and the dough looks shaggy and tacky.
Tip: Keep the salt and yeast on opposite sides of the flour when whisking, then mix well, so the salt does not sit directly on the yeast.
Knead in the butter
- With the mixer on medium-low (speed 3–4), add the softened butter one piece at a time, waiting until each piece is mostly absorbed before adding the next.
- Knead for 8–10 minutes in total.
- The dough will look greasy and ragged at first, then come together into a smooth, slightly tacky ball that clears the sides of the bowl.
- If kneading by hand, knead on a lightly floured counter for 15–20 minutes.
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Ready when: Dough is smooth and elastic, and passes the windowpane test: a small piece stretches thin enough to see light through without tearing. It should read about 77–80°F (25–27°C).
Tip: Resist adding extra flour. This is a soft dough, and extra flour makes the buns dense.
First rise
- Grease a large bowl with the oil.
- Shape the dough into a tight ball, place it in the bowl, and turn it once to coat.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and leave in a warm spot (75–80°F / 24–27°C) for about 60 minutes.
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Ready when: Dough has doubled in volume and a floured finger pressed ½ inch in leaves an indent that springs back slowly.
Tip: In a cool kitchen, turn the oven light on and rise the dough in the switched-off oven.
Divide and rest
- Turn the dough onto a very lightly floured counter and press gently to deflate.
- Weigh it (about 715 g) and cut into 12 equal pieces of about 60 g each.
- Roll each piece into a tight ball by cupping your hand over it and moving in small circles.
- Cover the balls with a towel and rest for 10 minutes so the gluten relaxes.
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Ready when: Balls are smooth on top and feel relaxed rather than springy when pressed.
Tip: Keep the balls covered, because dough that dries out forms a skin and tears when wrapped.
Fill and shape
- Working with one ball at a time, flatten the dough into a 4-inch (10 cm) round, leaving the center slightly thicker than the edge.
- Place a ball of bean paste in the middle.
- Pull the edges up and over the filling, pinching firmly to seal into a pouch.
- Turn the bun seam-side down and roll gently under your palm to smooth it.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, 6 per sheet, spaced at least 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
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Ready when: Each bun is fully sealed with no bean paste showing, and the seam is tucked underneath.
Tip: Keep the dough thin at the edges and thicker in the center. If the seam is not pinched shut, the bun can burst open in the oven.
Second proofOven 350°F / 175°C
- Cover the buns loosely with a clean towel or greased plastic wrap.
- Let them proof in a warm spot for about 40 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center during the last 20 minutes (if baking both sheets at once, use the upper and lower thirds).
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Ready when: Buns look puffy and about 1½ times their original size; a gently pressed finger leaves a dent that fills back in slowly.
Tip: Do not over-proof, because a bun that is too airy can collapse and the filling will show through.
Egg wash and sesame
- Whisk the egg yolk with the 1 tablespoon of milk until smooth.
- With a floured fingertip, press a shallow ½-inch (1 cm) dimple into the center of each bun, taking care not to deflate it.
- Brush the tops and sides lightly with the egg wash, then sprinkle a pinch of black sesame seeds into each dimple.
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Ready when: Tops are evenly glossy with no pooled egg wash, and sesame seeds sit in the center.
Tip: Brush gently and do not let egg wash pool at the base, since it can glue the buns to the parchment.
Bake the bunsOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12–14 minutes, rotating the sheet front to back after 8 minutes, until the buns are deep golden brown on top and sides.
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Ready when: Buns are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom; an instant-read thermometer in the bread (not the filling) reads 190°F (88°C).
Tip: If the tops brown before the 12-minute mark, tent loosely with foil.
Cool the buns
- Slide the parchment with the buns onto a wire rack, or transfer the buns directly to the rack.
- Cool for at least 20 minutes before eating, since the bean paste stays very hot inside for a while.
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Ready when: Buns are warm, not hot, to the touch.
Good to know
Tips
- Weigh the dough and filling with a scale. Equal-sized buns bake evenly and each one has the right amount of paste.
- Firm bean paste is easier to wrap. If store-bought paste is soft, cook it in a dry pan over medium-low heat for a few minutes, stirring, then cool completely before rolling.
- Make the dough slightly tacky rather than dry. A well-hydrated dough is what keeps the buns soft for days.
- For a shiny finish that stays soft, brush the hot buns with a little melted butter straight out of the oven.
Make ahead
"After shaping (step 6), cover the buns and refrigerate on the baking sheets for up to 12 hours. Let them stand at room temperature for 30–45 minutes until puffy, then egg wash and bake as directed. You can also freeze the shaped, unproofed buns for up to 1 month, thaw in the fridge overnight, then proof until puffy before baking."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: airtight container for up to 2 days. Fridge: up to 4 days (buns may firm up slightly). Freezer: wrap individually and freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, microwave a room-temperature bun for 15–20 seconds, or warm a frozen bun at 300°F (150°C) for 8–10 minutes, loosely covered with foil."
Substitutions
- bread flour → all-purpose flour (same weight). Buns will be slightly less chewy and a bit softer; add 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) less milk if the dough feels too sticky.
- whole milk → unsweetened soy milk or oat milk, warmed. Gives similar softness; the buns will be a little less rich.
- instant yeast → active dry yeast (same amount). Dissolve in the warm milk with a pinch of the sugar and let it foam for 5–10 minutes before mixing into the flour.
- black sesame seeds → white sesame seeds. Tastes the same; the contrast against the golden bun is less dramatic.