Pandan bread with red bean filling (Sponge dough starter method)

All these while, I have been doing loaf bread, assorted sweet and savoury buns, but rarely pull apart buns with fillings, so here it is, this round I am up for some pandan pull apart bread with red bean filling.

To me, it is quite the old school bread cuz I used to have them when I was a kiddo. Not very into them nowadays though!

I made these pull apart buns using the sponge dough starter method, which calls for bread flour, water and yeast to be mixed and left aside for at least 1.5 hour before use (I left it overnight for about 16 hours).

Here is the rough dough mixture from bread flour, water and yeast mixed well together with a spatula. 

I covered the top of the container loosely with a clingwrap and put it in the fridge.

This was what I got after leaving this sponge dough in the fridge after 16 hours. It was a soft and sticky pool of mixture, with bubbles forming.  Look at that stretchy stringy part when I tried to pull out the clingwrap that got stuck to the surface of the sponge dough!

This is good stuff!

This is the reason for the end product - soft and fluffy bread.

Now I normally leave the sponge dough aside for about 10 minutes to bring it to room temperature while I gather all the other ingredients. 

While some people detest the wait to bake bread using this method, I, for one am for it. I plan my bakes ahead, so it is no fussy wait for me to do the starter a day ahead and only get to get down to real actions the next day. I prefer the wonderful end products. I enjoy the anticipation :)

Now not to digress further, I did these buns using the sponge dough recipe by Kimmy-Cooking Pleasure

Buns using Sponge dough method

Step 1 - Sponge dough preparation

2 tsp instant yeast

160ml-170ml water 

230g bread flour

1. Mix yeast with water in mixing bowl, then add in flour. Knead to form a smooth dough. (I mixed using a spatula, and did not knead by hand to get smooth dough)

2. Cover and leave to proof for 1 to 1.5 hour or double in size.  (I covered top loosely with a clingwrap and left it in the fridge for up to 16 hours till use)

Step 2 - Ingredients

60g sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp yeast

1small egg

25 ml water (I used 25ml of pandan juice)

100g bread flour

30g butter (softened at room temperature)

Filling - red bean filling + sesame seeds for topping

1. Add all Step 2 ingredients (except for butter) to sponge dough from Step 1.  (I let my BM does the mixing work for me, so I put in all wet stuff first, which are the slightly beaten egg, pandan juice and sponge dough, then top with bread flour, made a small dent in the bread flour, put in the yeast and cover it aith the bread flour. Salt and sugar to be placed at opposite sides away from the yeast. Start BM and let it mix. The rest of the stages follows on below but are then done by hands already for kneading part.)

2. Continue to knead on medium speed until dough is soft and smooth (takes about 7-10 minutes).  Add in softened butter and continue to knead till dough is soft and elastic (window pane stage).

Window pane stage achieved and left to proof.

Dough proof till double sized and ready for punch down.

3.  Shape dough into ball and cover. Leave aside to proof for 15 minutes.4.  Punch down dough and divide into 60g per portion or into any portion required.

Dough shaped and filled with a tablespoon of red bean 

4.  Shape dough into any shapes with fillings.  Leave to rise for 30 to 40 minutes or until double in size. Brush with egg or milk glaze. (Sprinkle the top of the buns with some sesame seeds)

5. Bake in preheated oven at 190 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. 

Here you go! Pillowy soft buns for breakfast :)