Pumpkin Anpan (pumpkin filling bun)

Anpan is a Japanese sweet bun most commonly filled with red beans paste, anko. Anpan can also be prepared with other fillings, sweet potato, chest nuts, pumpkin, and so on.

I think some of people haven't tried Anko (red beans paste). Actually, they are Azuki beans. You can get them at Asian market or big super market.
And it takes time to make paste. I tell you how to make it easily. The day before, you need to soak the beans, then boil them till become soft. Add sugar and stir it till it become paste. Cool it down before fill into the dough.

But Pumpkin Ann (filling) is much easier than red bean paste. It is also quite popular in Japan.

I put some pumpkin paste in the dough. It makes soft and moist, yellow color. The liquid on the dough, you might need more or less. It depends on mushed pumpkin is how much water including.  Sweet dough and light sweet pumpkin filling. Don't you think the shape look pretty? I hope you can understand my explanation of shaping! They are nice for tea.

Pumpkin Anpan (make 10 buns)
Pumpkin Ann (filling)
300g Pumpkin (without seeds, peel)
80g Sugar (less or more)
20g Butter

Dough
120g Pumpkin (mushed)
300g High grade flour
30g sugar
5g Salt
100cc Milk
40cc Water (if you need)
5g Instant Yeast
20g Unsalted Butter
(For decoration, you need egg wash and pumpkin seeds. )
1. At first, make pumpkin filling.  Steam up the pumpkin till it becomes soft. While it is hot, mush them. Add sugar and butter, them combine well. If it is too soft for filling, put on the low heat and stir. Or if it is quite hard for filling, add milk.
Cool it down before use.

2. Place flour, milk,water,  yeast, sugar, salt and pumpkin in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix for about 7 minutes. Add butter and mix for another 6minutes. The dough becomes very soft and extensible, elastic. It can be stretched a paper thin“windowpane” .

3. Transfer the dough to a covered container and ferment at warm room temperature (about 27℃) for 1.5 - 2 hours.

4. Pour the dough onto the floured counter, then deflate it, knead it briefly. Divide it into 10 pieces(65g), and make them rough balls. Set them 15 minutes with cover.

5. Final shape.

①Press the dough and make it round. Put the pumpkin filling in the center.
②③Use thumb and forefinger of right and left to wrap it.
④Seal it tightly.

①Put it upside down. Sealing goes to the bottom.
②press the dough gently with your thumb. (I used a spice bottle cap)
③Cut the dough with scissors like the photo.

6. Place them into the warm place(35℃) for 45 - 50 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 200 ℃。Before bake, apply egg wash.
7. Bake them at 190℃ for 12 - 15 minutes till it becomes golden brown.

8. Cool them down.

Round shape