By Alex Castroverde

Growing up, my family would make a big deal of going to Chicago to see two things: obviously the family, but also getting amazing Korean foods. It was our once a month little vacation to grab all the essentials-- kimchi, seaweed, spices, rice, etc. However, my favorite thing to grab is this Red Bean Bread. After grabbing all the groceries, my family would drive by the nearest Korean Bakery to buy 10 of these and share it amongst our extended family as an outside picnic treat. No matter how cold or how hot it is, we will all huddle together eating these Red Bean Bread and talking about life.

Ingredients

Dough

2 ½ cups bread flour, plus more for rolling

2 tsp. fast-acting yeast

½ cup milk

⅓ cup milk powder

1 stick unsalted butter, cubed

1 tsp. salt

½ cup sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk, for egg wash

1 tbsp. water, for egg wash

Sesame seeds, optional

Filling

One can adzuki red beans

1-2 cups sugar, to taste

1 tbsp. bread flour

Dough Starter

4 tbsp. bread flour

6 tbsp. water

6 tbsp. milk

Directions

To Make the Dough Starter

In a small saucepan, add the water and milk, heating on medium heat until you can see steam rising from the pot.
Add the bread flour into the pan and stir together until thick paste forms. the saucepan from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.

To Make the Dough

In a bowl, heat up the milk to about 110-115 degrees F (43.3-46.1 degrees C), then add the sugar and yeast. Let the mixture sit until frothy, about five to ten minutes.
In a bowl or stand mixer, add the rest of the bread ingredients except for the butter and egg. Mix.
Add the bread starter, the milk mixture, and egg into the dry ingredients. Mix until the ingredients look well-incorporated and the dough looks smooth. If using a stand mixer, mix with a dough hook on medium speed.
Add the butter, one cube at a time, mixing thoroughly between additions.
Place the dough in a large, oiled bowl. Cover with a rag or plastic wrap and rest in a warm area for one to one-half hours.

To Make the Filling

While the dough is rising, make the filling. Add all of the ingredients to a small saucepan, set to high heat, and bring to a boil. Stir often to prevent the mixture from burning. Lower the heat to medium heat and continue to stir every 2 minutes at a simmer until it becomes a thick paste.

To Make the Buns

When the dough has finished rising,, lightly flour a clean surface with bread flour. Cut the dough into 10 small pieces. Roll out the dough into a circle (as big as your hands) and place the filling (as big as a golf ball) in the center. Seal the buns by pressing together the edges of the dough, making a sphere. Place the buns on a greased baking sheet.
Let the buns rest for 30-40 minutes uncovered.
Fill an extra pot with water and place it on the bottom rack of the oven, to create a water bath. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.)
Once the buns are finished resting, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C.)
Cover the baking sheet with some aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Make sure the aluminum foil is air tight with no gaps. (I wrapped the buns twice with the aluminum foil.)
In the meantime, mix egg yolk with water to make an egg wash.
After 20 minutes, remove the aluminum foil from the baking sheet, brush the tops of the buns with egg wash, and sprinkle the buns with sesame seeds. Bake for another 20 minutes or until the buns are golden brown.
Serve warm. I usually eat on its own. But, my friends like to drink it with a glass of warm milk.