Matcha Red Bean Bread

Mix all the matcha dough ingredients except the butter. Knead until the dough is smooth, then add the butter and knead until the dough becomes elastic.

Cover with plastic wrap and let it proof until doubled in size. I put it in the fridge overnight to slow down fermentation. By the next day, the first proofing was basically done; just take it out and let it return to room temperature.

Combine all the outer-coating ingredients into a dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Divide the matcha dough into two portions, shape each into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 15 minutes.

Roll each piece of dough into an oval, flip it over, and spread an even layer of sweetened red beans on top.

Roll the dough up from top to bottom.

Thin out the bottom edge, pinch the seam tightly, and shape into a long oval.

Divide the outer-coating dough into two portions, dust with bread flour, then roll each into an oval slightly longer than the matcha dough. Flip over and completely wrap each piece of matcha dough inside.

Coat the entire surface of each dough piece with bread flour, place seam side down on a baking tray, and let it proof for 20 minutes for the final rise.

Score 3 slashes on the surface and continue proofing for 15 minutes. My knife wasn’t sharp enough so the cuts were a bit shallow; it looks best if you score deep enough for the matcha dough to show after baking.

Bake in the middle rack of the oven at 170b0C for 28 minutes.

Let cool and slice. The crust is slightly hard and crisp, the inside is soft with a rich matcha aroma, and the sweetened red beans are delightful—a true must-keep for matcha lovers.