KitchenNippon

Ingredients for 4 Servings

All-purpose flour (中力粉 / Chūriki-ko) 100 g
(or Bread flour (強力粉 / Kyōrikiko) and Soft flour (薄力粉 / Hakurikiko) 50 g ea.,
plus baking soda (重曹 / Jūhsōh) 3 g)
Baking powder (ベーキングパウダー / Behkingu paudāh) 3 g
Sugar (砂糖 / Satōh) 90 g
Water (水 / Mizu) 2 tbsp
Butter (バター / Batāh) 15 g
Egg (卵 / Tamago) 1
Milk (牛乳 / Gyūnyū) 50 ml
Salted cherry blossoms (桜の塩漬け/ Sakura-no-shiozuke) 4
Chunky red bean paste (つぶあん / Tsubu-an) 80 g

How to Make

1. Soak the salted cherry blossoms in plenty of water for at least 10 minutes to reduce the salt.
2. To a plastic bag, add the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Hold the bag closed and shake it to mix the contents.
3. Add the sugar and water to a small pot and put the pot on medium heat. Stir the pot to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn off the heat and add the butter. Stir until the butter has completely melted and then let the pot cool.
4. Once the pot has cooled, add the egg and use a whisk to mix it in thoroughly. Now add the flour mixture and use the whisk to mix this in as well. Just before all of the flour is mixed in, add the milk and then continue to mix.
5. Make a container out of a 30 cm x 40 cm piece of baking paper and pour in the batter. Top with the salted cherry blossoms.
6. Steam for 12 minutes.
7. When the bread is done, remove it from the steamer and cut it into quarters. Make a horizontal cut into each, but without going all the way through. Fill each of the cuts with red bean paste.