Pineapple Bread

For the past couple of weeks. I have discovered the elusive recipe for the Chinese Pineapple bread. I think I have several friends who have “special” dreams about these delicious pastries. Instead of dropping dough at hard-to-find Asian bakeries, I hope I can guilt friends into making these for me, by the dozens.

Filling:
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup custard powder
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a saucepan, mix the filling ingredients together until blended. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly. After the filling is cooked though, let cool, then freeze until partially solid.

Sweet roll:
1 2/3 cups bread flour
1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
6 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
generous 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tbsp butter

Sweet crust:
3 3/4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
generous 1 cup cake flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all the dough ingredients (minus butter) until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add the butter and knead until it is well incorporated (it might be difficult at first, but keep at it, and it will come together). Cover and let rise for one hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
For the topping, beat the butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy, then add the vanilla and egg and mix well. Sift in the cake flour and baking powder, then divide the mixture into eight portions, wrap tightly, and place to chill in the fridge while the bread portion is rising.

After the bread has risen, punch down the dough to release the gas and divide the dough into eight portions and roll into balls. Allow the dough to rest for approximately 5-10 minutes, and then stuff each piece with the azuki beans (it’s up to you how much you want to put in– usually put in around one to two teaspoonsful).

Remove the cookie toppings from the fridge and flatten each piece into a disc large enough to cover one bun, and then coat each azuki-stuffed dough piece with the topping. Allow the topping to cover as much of the ball as possible, and then sprinkle the topping liberally with sugar. Note: keep the topping in saran wrap, and then flattened the dough while it was still wrapped because it was inevitably sticky and this made it easier to wrap around the dough balls.
Cut the pineapple crisscross design (or any other design of your choice), and then let the buns rise for 40 minutes at room temperature or until it has doubled in size.

Right before baking, glazed the top of the buns with an optional egg wash. Bake in a preheated 340 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes. If the tops isn’t brown enough for your taste, broil the buns for five minutes on low.