Thursday, August 12, 2010

Matcha Madness: Matcha Buns with Mochi & Red Bean paste

Hope I am not too late forWell it all started when I was browsing dear Quinn's blog a couple weeks back on her post on Matcha and White Chocolate Panna Cotta, which looks really classy and delicious desert. She was enthusiastic enough to join in the fun on making something Matcha, simply because she loves everything Matcha! Ann from pigpigscorner too made a lovely Matcha Cheesecake that was really good too. ;) Since I have yet baked anything Matcha before, I felt that this would be an excellent opportunity for me to try it out and get in the fun! So I went with making Matcha bread buns with mochi and sweet bean paste filling. If you have ever bought buns from some retail bakeries here, they do sell this bun that has mochi cum red bean filling which I find really unique and yummy! So instead of just plain red bean paste, I added fresh mochi (self made) and 2 different pastes, read bean and black sesame paste. ;)
Making the buns were really fun! My kids saw me kneading this green dough and thought I was making spinach bread! Lol! This dough recipe is pretty similar to the Cream Filled Mini Buns which I made awhile back.The main difference would be adding matcha powder into it. The dough is very easy to handle, not too sticky. :)
Since I wanted to add mochi in the buns I decided to make fresh mochi myself. I did not buy any mochi powder to make it, so I used the most traditional method which I knew my mum used to make. ;) It's actually quite easy, here is the recipe if anyone is interested:

Ingredients for homemade mochi:
125g glutinous rice flour
188ml water
3 tbsp of confectioner's sugar

  • Mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. The flour the mixture into a greased round 6" pan. Steam the mixture for 25 minutes till cooked.
  • Once cooked, removed from steamer and let cool completely before removing from the pan. Reserve to use later.
Ingredients for Matcha Bread: (Makes about 16):
Set A:
348g bread flour
86g cake flour
26g milk powder

8g matcha powder
11g instant active yeast

Set B:
80g caster sugar
4g salt

44g beaten whole egg

200ml water

Set C:

44g butter, room temperature

Method:
  • In a large mixing bowl, add in all of Set A ingredients in and mix well with a whisk.
  • Add all of Set A flour mixture with Set B ingredients and mix well until it becomes a soft dough.
  • Continue to beat / knead the dough till it reaches elastic and not sticky stage, which can be verified by using the "window stage".
  • Add in the butter in Set C and knead well till mix in.
  • Let the dough proof in a greased bowl and cove it. Allow it to proof for at least 90 minutes until the dough doubles.
  • After proofing, punch out the air and divide the dough to about 40g each. Roll round and let rest for 10 minutes before shaping.
  • Using a rolling pin, roll out a portion of the dough flat (thinner on the side) and place 1 tbsp of red bean / black sesame paste in the center. Then cut about 1/2 tbsp of mochi and place it on top of the sweet paste. Seal the dough up nicely and place it on a greased baking tray. Repeat till all the dough are filled and sealed nicely. Sprinkle some black sesame seeds on top of those buns filled with black sesame paste to distinguish between the buns. Cover and let proof for another 15 to 20 minutes before baking.
  • Preheat the oven to 180C .
  • Brush the mini buns with egg wash and bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes till golden brown on the surface.
I personally thought that after the buns came out from the oven, the green from the matcha was no longer that obvious. :P Even the taste itself wasn't that evident. Looks like I will have to double the dosage the next time. And one thing I kind of regretted too was not making the mochi in matcha flavor!! O well...better plan way ahead before plunging into making something next time....somehow I always do that. :P Anyway, I hope these buns still "pass" for matcha madness event, lol!
But overall I am really happy with the taste of these buns. :) The soft chewy mochi and the sweet paste filling went really well with the soft buns. :) Even on the 3rd day, it was still soft! I was glad I made enough to share with my mother, MIL and my sister. My sister was delighted because she was a real mochi lover and it was her that recommended me the mochi buns selling in the retail bakeries. If you like matcha and mochi, do give these sweet delights a try! Let me know how yours turned out and how you like them. ;)

Have a "early" good weekend all!



33 comments:

  1. This is the first time I come across sweet buns with mochi inside. So interesting and innovative. I bet it taste good with the soft bread, sweet filling and chewy mochi. Heaven!!

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  2. mochi and red beans filling, yum!!!!

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  3. oh nooooo the competition closed at the end of July! But your matcha buns look delicious!!!!

    Anyway if you're interesed, check out the winners here... there are 38 amazing matcha recipes too!

    http://www.thecattylife.com/2010/08/matcha-madness-results/

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  4. Ooo another "new" thing to me. I like mochi too, but eating together in a bun, never try before leh. Ok, marked and try it out, think I'll like it..;) Btw, do you think I can get macha here..hmm.

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  5. Bee Bee,

    The buns look great and showcase a great deal of creativity. It's just too bad that you didn't make this in time for the competition else you would have won! Thanks for the shout-out, even though the colour fade a little but I hope the taste is great!

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  6. Awhile back, when I was trying to find a recipe for mochi bread (ala San Moulin), I bought a Chinese recipe book on Mochi bread - That was the first time I saw mochi Kueh incorporated in the bread... glad that you've done it!... sigh, I still have not found the recipe for mochi bread ala San Moulin.

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  7. Your mochi buns are so innovative! Remember to register it as your trademark, if not I am sure the bakeries will borrow your idea soon ;)
    I love matcha too! Planning to go get matcha powder today, can't wait to use it to make some bread buns :)

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  8. Hi there
    may i know where did you buy the black sesame paste? and how much is per bottle? thks
    regards
    octopusmum

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  9. Hi Gert! Thanks! Heehee, not a bad idea and combo I have to agree too. But have to portion correctly, not too much mochi, else not enough filling will not be nice.

    Thanks so much Wendy!

    No worries Catty! I knew I did not make it for the contest. But I did tell my fellow blogger Quinn that I will make something Matcha too, so I can't go back on my word. :)I am a lady of my words, lol! Thanks for dropping by my blog anyways, hope I will make it for the next "madness", lol!

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  10. Reese! This you should try! I know you will like it! Matcha powder is also green tea powder my friend. Can be found in Isetan grocer or maybe you try the Japanese store outside Pasta / Sushi Zanmai? The chewy mochi plus ur favorite red bean is a winning combo! Try it and let me know yah!

    Thanks Quinn! Nah! I doubt I will win...the other contestants are good! Anyway I made this is not to enter the contest, but to keep my word on making something matcha after reading your blog. So no worries! Yeah, got to double dose the matcha powder the next time. ;)

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  11. Hi Shirley,
    Hmmm, I believe the mochi breads you are talking about is not quite the same as the ones u am making here. I believe I have tasted those San Moulin mochi mini breads before and they are delicious! Yeah, got to get and try out that recipe too! Looking forward to your mochi bread post!

    Thanks so much HHB! Hahaha, it's actually me stealing their idea, lol! My sister introduce this mochi bun to me from crystal jade. The bun was heavenly but the only flaw was too much mochi and not enough red bean paste. :P Anyway, I like my version better. Okay call it Bee's matcha mochi buns, heehee!

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  12. Hi octopusmum, I got the black sesame paste from Scotts Isetan a while back. It was on sale and I paid about $8.90 for that jar. If you travel to Taiwan, they have a lot more varieties and cheaper too. So look out for that if you go vacation in Taiwan. :)

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  13. Bee Bee, the buns look so good, with red beans & mochi, powder combination ^0^!

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  14. Bee Bee, I saw these buns in Taiwanese bread books and on Taiwanese blogs!! I'll def give it a shot when the mood strikes me! It's in the Tangzhong book too! Yea, will make my own mochi for the filling. Thanks for the idea!

    I always love reading your words. But, I can't believe you haven't baked with matcha before!!! Bee Bee!

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  15. Thanks Jess! You mean power right? Hahaha....it's okay lah. Try it out then you let me know if got power or not, heehee. ;) hope you will like it too.

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  16. HI Bee Bee
    thks v much for the infor about the sesame paste, will go Isetan to check it out if i am in that area...actually, meidi ya also has but quite pricey so sourcing for cheaper brands....
    regards
    octopusmum

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  17. I shared the same thoughts with Shirley. I am crazy over Sun Moulin's Mochi Bread. Done quite a few experiment but still search for THE one.

    Only can drool on yours as kids doesn't like Red Bean. Seriously I wonder why.

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  18. HI(: i've not bake bread before but the bread you bake is the kind that my mum love! so im going to try baking it. hopefully it turns out well. i would like to ask you, what is "window stage"? After sealing the dough, i shape it round? after putting on the tray, what do i use to cover it? do i put parchment paper on the tray or grease the tray?

    sorry to trouble you. THANKS LOTS! (: (:

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  19. You are welcome octopusmum. I too realize that sesame paste is pretty $$$ here in Singapore. Hope you get it in Isetan. Happy baking!

    Edith! My sentiments exactly! Why kids nowadays don't like red beans? I remember when I was young, I would be chiding down red bean buns no prob. My girls? They would say "mummy, why this one black black? I don't want!" *sigh* as for the mochi bread, the quest for the recipe will continue.... Let's see who will be successful first, heehee.

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  20. Hi Wei,
    The window-pane test is just an indication that the amount of gluten formed is sufficient to stretch a piece of dough into a sheet without tearing. No, you can't actually see anything through it, just thin enough to allow light to pass through. After sealing the filling inside the dough, place on a greased baking tray or on a piece of parchment paper placed on the tray. Use either plastic cling wrap or some big container to cover the dough to proof. Hope that helps.

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  21. I love buns with red bean paste - not sure why but simply do. I bet the matcha flavour made it even more delicious. The buns look really fluffly.

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  22. Wow, filling with mochi is really interesting! Looks so good!

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  23. lovely buns! i am so bad at bread/bun making. once my buns turned out rock hard!! even the birds wuldn't want to eat it!!

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  24. Boy the buns look great. Thanks for sharing.

    Plan B

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  25. Love the idea of using homemade mochi as a filling! Imagine biting into the fresh warm matcha bun, and welcomed with that pleasant creamy gooey filling. Just heavenly!

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  26. Gee, this looks really good. Thanks for sharing the recipe HBS. It's been a while since I last had green tea and red bean buns. :)

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  27. Thanks for dropping by Jo and thanks for your compliments!;)

    Thanks pigpigscorner!

    Themis Joslynn! I thunk it's a matter of practice and getting to know the technique. Hope you will finally make some fluffy soft bread at home soon, good luck!

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  28. Thanks Chef B! And welcome to my blog. ;) do drop by again when you have time. ;)

    Thanks so much Angie. Yeah, that is exactly the kind of taste you get when biting it when it is freshly baked.

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  29. You are welcome Jane. ;) hope you will try it out.

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  30. hi, i tried looking for red bean paste, sesame paste and matcha powder at isetan but cannot find. is the wisma isetan? or where is it? pls help me. thank you!

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  31. Hi Anonymous, can you please leave a name for easier addressing next time you leave a comment? Thanks.

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  32. I have been seeing a lot of recipes with matcha (i did not really what it was initially) I feel I must try to make it. Thanks for recipe. Looks great!

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  33. Hi MySimplefood,
    Hope you will like this Matcha recipe. Have fun!

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