Matcha and red bean – two flavors that work amazingly well. The bitterness from the matcha and the sweetness of red bean (anko) paste balance each other well for this to be a classic combo. This is a variation of my Japanese Milk Bread recipe! There are some more ingredients and steps for this recipe, but it’s just as simple to make.
As the recipe title suggests, you’ll need matcha powder and red bean paste for this bake.
For matcha powder, I highly recommend getting ceremonial matcha powder. It makes a world of difference in terms of preserving the taste and color post-baking. I used to use culinary matcha powder for a long time but eventually got frustrated with how the color would always brown into this dark-green muddled color, and the taste would be surprisingly bitter.
For sweet red bean paste (anko), there are two main types you can use:
- Tsubuan (つぶあん) – chunky texture and can still see some beans intact
- Koshian （こしあん）- smooth and fine texture
Kinda like peanut butter choices, it’s all a matter of personal preference, but I prefer the chunkier texture of tsubuan. However for koshian, I recommend this one by Shirakiku! Koshian is a little easier to find online, but tsubuan should also be available at most Asian supermarkets.
Tips:
- Weigh out your dough into equal pieces when making the matcha and plain dough. This will ensure an even spiral and layers for a nice visual effect
- Red bean and dough will not “stick” to each other while baking, and you may see air pockets forming between the two when baking (as you can see in my image above). If you want to prevent this, try to roll the dough up tightly or use a Pullman loaf pan with a cover.
Matcha Red Bean Shokupan
Ingredients
Starter (Roux)
- 6 tbsp bread flour 48g
- 1/4 cup whole milk 60g
- 1/4 cup water 60g
Main Dough
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast 7g
- 1/2 cup milk lukewarm 120g
- 2 1/2 cup bread flour 370g
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 45g
- 1 tbsp dry milk powder 8g
- 1 tsp salt 6g
- 1 egg beaten and room temperature 50g
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened 57g
Extra
- 3 tbsp matcha powder 18g
- 1/2 cup sweet red bean paste 155g
- 2 tbsp melted butter or egg wash 30g
Instructions
- In a small saucepan on low-medium heat, combine the starter ingredients. Whisk continuously for about 5 minutes or until the starter thickens to the consistency of mashed potatoes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Activate the yeast and heat the milk to lukewarm temperature and sprinkle the yeast over the surface of the milk. Do not mix and let it sit undisturbed for about 5 minutes. If the yeast is active, bubbles should appear on the surface. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine bread flour, sugar, yeast, dry milk powder, and salt. Then add the milk with activated yeast, starter, and beaten egg. Using the dough hook attachment, beat on low speed for about 5 minutes until the ingredients are evenly combined and gathered up.
- To make the matcha dough, divide the dough evenly in half and set half of it aside and covered. Divide the butter in half and set the other half aside. Add in butter and matcha powder and beat for another 5 minutes. Increase the speed for the final 5 minutes, and continue kneading until the dough passes the windowpane test. Transfer to bowl and cover with plastic wrap or towel in the fridge in the meantime.
- Repeat with the other half of the dough and butter, but this time with no matcha powder. Remove the matcha dough from the fridge, and let both doughs rest for 1 hour or until they are doubled in size.
- Turn both doughs onto lightly floured surface and punch each dough down to release air bubbles. Roll out each dough to a rectangular shape about 18"x8" (20cm x 15cm) long.
- To create the swirl, start with the plain dough and spread red bean paste evenly over the surface. Take the matcha dough and stack it on top of the red bean layer. Starting with the short side, firmly and gently roll it up and place it seam-side down in a lightly greased 9"x4" (23cm x 10cm) bread pan. Cover and let it rest for 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. After the second rest, brush the top of the dough with egg wash or melted butter. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. If the top is browning too quickly but the inside is not done yet, loosely cover the top with aluminum foil to prevent it from burning.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes in the bread pan before transferring to a cooling rack. Let cool for at least 10 additional minutes before slicing.
Notes
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