Matcha red bean swirl loaf

This matcha red bean swirl loaf is pillowy soft. The sweetness of the red bean paste compliments the earthiness of the matcha perfectly. It’s one of our household favorites and I hope it will become one of yours as well!

How much is too much matcha?

Hope everyone has had a marvelous week! Mother deer bought me a tin of high grade matcha powder the other day because it was on sale. Plus, I have become quite the Matcha Monster since then by adding it into practically everything I’ve been making!

Matcha oatmeal, Matcha pancakes, Matcha waffles, Matcha lattes, Matcha muffins, and Matcha cookies of course!

But what kind of bread loving person would I be if I left out making Matcha bread?!

Now I’m no flavor profile connoisseur but I know my Matcha and I know that it goes amazing with red bean. So, I decided to pair the two together.

Lil’ bun was a little skeptical to try it at first because despite how she likes Matcha, she finds that this higher grade kind has a bitter taste. I reassured her that there would be no bitterness this time around because the red bean will balance everything out.

I used my super soft Asian milk bread dough as the yeast dough base because I still can’t get over how pillowy soft the bread ends up being. Then as with any swirl bread, I simply filled my prepared dough with a delicious filling. 🙂

Red bean filling

When it comes to fillings, I tend to think that there’s never enough so I always end up spreading on a pretty hefty layer! This works better with spreads than if you’re using nuts/dried fruit. The spread acts as a “glue” and everything still remains contained on the inside despite the overloading. Whereas if there were nuts/dried fruit rolled in there as well, there would be lots of fall outs and casualties when you cut into it.

Although I already adored this loaf, the next time I make it, I think I’m going to knead some boiled red beans into the dough to add another textural and savory element to it.

If red bean paste isn’t your thing or you can’t find it near you, chocolate spread also pairs magnificently with Matcha. Especially if it’s white chocolate! Alternatively, instead of making this into a loaf, you can cut the log into rounds before baking and then drizzle white chocolate on top as “icing!”

Ooooo…I’m already drooling at the thought of such deliciousness so I guess I know what I’m going to be baking up this weekend!

Question of the post: What’s your favorite filling to put into swirl loaves?

Matcha red bean swirl loaf recipe

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup water
• 5 cups all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoon matcha powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup whole milk
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 1/2 cup red bean paste

Instructions

1. Create the tangzhong starter dough by whisking the flour and water together in a medium pot over medium heat. Make sure you add the flour in first or it may get clumpy. Cook this on the stove top for 3 – 5 minutes until the mixture thickens making sure to stir often to prevent burning. Set aside to cool.
2. Bloom your yeast by combining the sugar, yeast and warm milk together in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes until foamy.
3. Prepare the dough by combining the dough starter, 5 cups of flour, matcha powder, the yeast mixture, and egg in a large bowl. Using a dough hook attachment, knead the dough on low speed for 5 minutes or knead with hands for 10 minutes.
4. Knead in the softened butter until incorporated and the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough into a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours, or until dough is doubled in size.
5. Punch the dough down and divide it into 2 equal portions. Roll it out into a rectangle and spread 3/4 cup of red bean paste on each rectangle. Then roll it up width-wise into a log and pinch the seam to seal. Place the log into your prepared loaf pans and let rise covered in a warm place for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F
6. Brush the top of the loaf with milk or egg wash if desired. Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes or until the top of the bread is golden brown and it sounds hollow when tapped.
7. Let cool in loaf pan for 5 minutes before removing. Allow the loaf to cool for another 8 – 10 minutes before slicing.

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