Description
Delight in these homemade Red Bean Sweet Rolls featuring a soft, fluffy dough filled with smooth, sweet red bean paste. A perfect treat for breakfast or snack time, these rolls combine the subtle sweetness of caster sugar with the rich creaminess of full cream milk, all baked to a golden perfection.
Ingredients
Red Bean Paste
- 180 gr (1 cup) Dry Red Beans
- 350 ml (1 1/2 cup) Water for soaking (+ water for cooking)
- 80 gr (1/3 cup) Caster Sugar
Sweet Roll Dough
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) Full Cream Milk
- 5 gr (1/2 tbsp) Instant Dry Yeast
- 20 gr (2 tbsp) Caster Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 250 gr (1 2/3 cup) Plain Flour
- 1 pinch Table Salt
- 25 gr (2 tbsp) Soft Unsalted Butter
Egg Wash
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 tsp Full Cream Milk
Instructions
- Soak the Beans: Place the uncooked red beans in a large bowl and cover with 350 ml of water. Leave to soak overnight or for approximately 8 to 10 hours to soften the beans thoroughly.
- Cook the Beans: Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Transfer them to a large pot, cover with fresh water, and simmer on medium heat for 30 to 45 minutes until soft. Add more water as necessary to keep beans submerged throughout cooking.
- Prepare Red Bean Paste: Drain and rinse the cooked beans. Blend them in a food processor with 80 gr caster sugar until smooth to form the red bean paste. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use. Alternatively, mash manually for a chunkier texture.
- Activate Yeast: Warm 120 ml milk until lukewarm (not hot). Stir in instant dry yeast and 1 tbsp caster sugar. Let rest for about 10 minutes until frothy, indicating yeast activation.
- Make Dough: In a mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook, combine plain flour and remaining 19 gr caster sugar. Whisk the egg into the yeast-milk mixture and pour over the flour. Mix with a stiff spatula to roughly combine. Begin kneading on low/medium speed for 1 minute. Add a pinch of salt, then continue kneading another 3 minutes.
- Add Butter: Gradually add small cubes of very soft unsalted butter to the dough while increasing mixer speed to medium/high. Knead for an additional 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, scraping bowl sides as needed.
- First Proofing: Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let the dough proof in a warm spot for 1 to 1.5 hours or until doubled in size.
- Shape Dough: Punch down the risen dough to release air. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and roll it out with a rolling pin into a large rectangle.
- Fill with Red Bean Paste: Spread the prepared red bean paste evenly over the dough using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Starting from the longer edge, carefully roll the dough into a tight log.
- Chill (Optional): Place the rolled dough into the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up, making slicing easier.
- Slice Rolls: Cut the dough log into 9 to 12 equal rolls and arrange them spaced apart on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or greased.
- Prepare Egg Wash: Whisk together 1 egg yolk and 1 tsp full cream milk. Brush this over each roll to encourage a golden crust.
- Second Proofing: Cover rolls with a tea towel and let them proof for 30 minutes to puff up. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Bake: Bake the rolls for 25 to 35 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving.
Notes
- Ensure milk is lukewarm, not hot, when activating yeast to preserve yeast viability.
- The optional chilling step helps in achieving neat, clean slices when cutting rolls.
- Keep an eye on water level when simmering beans; they must remain submerged to cook evenly.
- Use unsalted butter to control overall saltiness in dough.
- The red bean paste can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
