Flower Bread with Red Bean Paste 豆沙面包花

在所有的美食中，我还是觉得烘面包最轻松，又有满足感。从第一次做面包起，从没有遇到面团发不起来的问题。一方面食谱很重要，另一方面，要归功于这里的气候。炎热潮湿特别适合面团发酵。我这个喜欢DIY美食的北方女子，最终爱上了新加坡这个热带岛国，可以说面包也是“功不可没”的。

做面包很符合我的个性。喜欢随心所欲，不愿意受拘束。如果有做面包的想法，随时把面一发，易如反掌。而且，做面包不需要一气呵成。 在等着面团发酵的时候，有大把的时间坐下来翻翻杂志，看看电脑, 或者辅导孩子功课。想好要做怎样形状的面包时，面也差不多发好了。心情怡然的时候，就做花俏的小餐包。赶时间的话，就做憨厚朴实的土司。因为太挑剔的原因，至今也没买面包机或大功率搅拌机，全靠一双手。还好摆弄面食是我的爱好。从东方的馒头花卷过渡到西式的面包, 对我来说，似乎顺理成章，水到渠成。

这款花式面包配方简单，烤出来的面包花令人惊艳。很钦佩爱厨房的创意和无私的分享。今天在小悦工坊重现面包花的风采，希望新加坡的朋友也喜欢。

FLOWER BREAD WITH RED BEAN FILLING  Ingredients: Bread dough 300g bread flour 30g sugar 1 teaspoon yeast 1/8 teaspoon salt 180g milk 1 large egg 20g butter, soften and diced egg wash

Fillings:

• 200g store bought red bean paste

Directions:

1. Mix dry ingredients until well blended. Add in the milk and egg and knead to form rough dough. Add in butter till form elastic dough.
2. Let it proof for 40 mins -1 hour until double in size.
3. Transfer the dough to a well dusted wooden board. Punch down and knead gently into a ball. Cover and proof it for another 10 minutes. 
4. Divide the dough into 4 portions. Divide the red bean paste into 3 portions.
5. With a rolling pin, roll a piece of dough to a round (~1/4 inch in thickness). Spread the red bean paste evenly onto the top.
6. Roll out another piece of dough, and place it on top of previous one. Repeat the process twice (now we should have four layers of dough.)
7. With a sharp knife, cut the edge into 16 pedals, leave out the center part.
8. Twist each pedal towards opposite direction twice. Seal the edges.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Brush the top with egg wash. Bake in preheated oven at 180 degC for 25 to 30 minutes. 
10. Cool on a cooling rack. Serve warm.