Hand-Torn Purple Sweet Potato Toast
Toast is a frequent sight in an energizing breakfast. It not only pairs well with milk or soy milk but can also be spread with jam, peanut butter, or even layered with fresh fruits and vegetables to make a sandwich, making it a versatile option for a nutritious meal. Previously, I shared recipes for Hokkaido milk toast and watermelon toast. Today, I will share this toast recipe that's much easier to prepare, requiring no gluten development to create a soft and delicious texture, making it perfect for beginners.
Ingredients
Steps
Peel the purple sweet potato and cut it into chunks. Alternatively, you can try using regular sweet potatoes instead.
Steam the purple sweet potato over cold water for about 20 minutes after the water boils.
Mash the purple sweet potato into a smooth paste while still hot.
Mix in 10g of milk and 5g of granulated sugar. You can adjust the amount of sugar based on the sweetness of the purple sweet potato. Milk can be substituted with water.
Combine 190g high-gluten flour and 80g low-gluten flour. Although toast is typically made with high-gluten flour, adding some low-gluten flour results in a softer texture. Since gluten development is not critical here, using only high-gluten flour might make the texture harder if gluten isn't developed correctly.
Add egg, 100g milk, 30g granulated sugar, 30g salad oil, and 2g salt. Similarly, the amount of sugar can be adjusted. Salad oil can be replaced with mild corn oil or sunflower oil.
Create a small well in the center of the flour mixture and add 5g of yeast, avoiding direct contact with the salt.
Mix all ingredients together and knead into a dough.
Dust the work surface with flour and knead the dough until the surface is smooth and no longer sticky.
Roll the dough into a large rectangular sheet using a rolling pin.
Spread the purple sweet potato paste over two-thirds of the surface.
Fold the sheet into thirds. Start by folding the section without the purple sweet potato paste.
Roll the folded dough thin again using a rolling pin.
Repeat the folding process as before.
Roll it slightly thinner and make two cuts along the surface, leaving one end intact.
Braid the dough strips together like braiding hair.
Bend the ends of the braid and place it into a toast mold.
Place the mold in an oven or another enclosed container to proof. If the weather is cold, place a bowl of hot water nearby to speed up proofing.
Proof until the dough is about 80% full. Proofing time varies depending on air temperature, humidity, and yeast activity, usually taking 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Brush the top with milk or egg wash. Preheat the oven at this time to 175℃ for 5–15 minutes, depending on the oven.
Place the mold into the preheated oven at 175℃ and bake for about 40 minutes. Monitor the toast’s rising and browning carefully as oven behavior varies. Remove it once done.
Invert and demold the toast immediately after baking; slice into smaller pieces to serve.
For leftovers, seal and store in the freezer (not in the fridge). Consume within two weeks. Reheat using a microwave or oven before eating.