Finished dish photo of Pumpkin Cranberry Mochi Bun

Pumpkin Cranberry Mochi Bun

Knead pumpkin into the dough, and the color immediately becomes more attractive. If you don't like pumpkin skin, you can peel it off. Different pumpkins have different water content—in this case, the Beibei pumpkin doesn't release much water after being microwaved, so don't add all the water at once. Reserve a little, and add it based on the dough's condition. I just happened to have the ingredients at home, so I made mochi filling. The cranberries were also readily available, but I think red bean paste would taste equally delicious.

Ingredients

High-gluten flour250g
Whole wheat flour50g
Pumpkin (cooked)120g
Sukeman fine sugar25g
Salt3g
Water140g
Yeast4g
Butter15g
#Cranberry Mochi Filling#to taste
Glutinous rice flour100g
Cornstarch25g
Sukeman fine sugar45g
Milk170g
Butter12g
Sukeman cranberries30g

Steps

1

Prepare the ingredients: cut the Beibei pumpkin into small pieces, microwave on high for a few minutes until cooked, then let cool.

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2

Place all the dough ingredients, except butter, into the bread machine.

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3

Start the kneading program.

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4

Add the butter using the post-oil method.

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5

Once kneaded, form into a ball and allow it to proof for the first time.

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6

During the proofing process, mix the mochi ingredients: glutinous rice flour, cornstarch, milk, and sugar in a large dish until well combined.

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7

Place into an oiled dish and steam on high for 10-12 minutes.

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8

After steaming, while the mixture is still hot, add butter and use a spatula to mix well. When it's cool enough to handle, put on disposable gloves and knead into a smooth ball. Weigh the cranberries.

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9

Mix evenly (if the cranberries are chopped, you can slightly reduce the quantity). Knead until evenly distributed.

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10

The first proofing of the dough is completed.

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11

Divide the dough and the mochi into 6 portions each. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

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12

Wrap the mochi balls in the dough (you can shape them into an olive form by flattening the mochi and rolling it up, or simply wrap it as I did for convenience).

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13

After wrapping, carry out the second proofing.

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14

Once proofed, sprinkle flour on the surface and score your desired patterns using a sharp blade.

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15

Place in the preheated oven at 180°C on the middle rack for 20 minutes. Once baked, transfer to a cooling rack and let cool.

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Cooking Tips

Do not add all the water at once, as the water content of different pumpkins varies. I usually cut an entire Beibei pumpkin into pieces, steam it, and measure it before dividing into portions for freezing and future use. During summer, use cooler ingredients to ensure the dough temperature doesn't 'overheat.' In winter, use the ingredients at room temperature.