Adzuki Chinese Pastry (豆沙饼) Challenge

Adzuki Chinese Pastry (豆沙饼) Challenge

This is my year 2011 baking challenge! First attempt to make these Chinese sweet pastry with adzuki paste. I happily spent 5 hours in the kitchen on the Chinese New Year day to make these pastries. The whole process was rather tedious. Each pasty skin has to be make individually.  But I think I spent a very productive 5 hours  and I am quite pleased with my courage and the result!

I have been pondering about making these Chinese pastry for a while now, but too afraid to try making it,  as I think it is quite difficult to make a successful patch. I would be left with too many pastries that I am shame to give it away to my friends or neighbours! Even my sister who is good in baking (Chinese ways) thinks it is hard to make this kind of pastry. Nevertheless, I asked her for a recipe over Facebook the other day. Just reading what she sent making me headache! So I documented the whole process in photographs and make it as simple for me to follow as possible for future experiments!

Pre-heat oven to 180'C.

Ingredients: For the fillings

1. 2 tins adzuki bean (drained)
2. Approximate 20 tbsp sugar (depend on your sweet tooth!)
3. 1 tsp salt

Tip the adzuki bean in a deep pan, add sugar and salt. Cook the bean in high heat until boiling. Turn the heat to medium and continue boiling the bean until the water is reduced. Remove from the heat. Use a potato masher, mash the bean to form a paste. With the same pan, heat the bean paste under low heat and stir rigorously until the paste is quite dry and sticky. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Ingredients: For the pastry skin (make about 18 pcs)

Dough A

1. 300g bread flour (sifted)
2. 150g unsalted butter at room temperature (diced)
3. 3 tbsp castor sugar
4. 5-6 tbsp cold water

Add flour, butter and sugar in a big bowl. Use your hands, rub all the ingredients together to form breadcrumbs consistency. Add the water and mix until combined. Turn the mixture in a very lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth. Side aside in the fridge.

Dough B

1. 150g plain flour (sifted)
2. 120g unsalted butter at room temperature (diced)

Add flour and butter in a big bowl. Use your hands, rub all the ingredients together, press to form a dough without over mix it.  Set aside. (If it is too soft, place the dough in the fridge for 10 minutes or so to harden)

Glaze: 1 large egg yolk and 1 tbsp cold water. Beat the egg yolk until well combined.

The Process:

1. Roll dough A and B into equal length
2. Divide each dough into equal portions and shape both dough into balls
3. Use one portion of dough A, flatten it and wrap dough B with A and shape it into ball
4. Flatten the mixed dough and roll it up from the side to form a tube shape
5. Flatten the tube into a thin rectangle shape. From one end of the rectangular,  roll up tightly to form a log shape. Turn the log on the flat side
6. Flatten the log direct from the top into thin rounds
7. Wrap the bean paste filling with the pastry to form a ball.
8. Lightly shape the pastry balls to form a neat round shape on a greased baking tray.
9. Brush the pastry with the glaze.
10. Bake in the pre-heated oven until lightly golden (approximately 30-40 minutes, depends on oven)

Phew! Just writing the process seems like a long and complicated task! But once you get the hang of the process, it is really not that difficult and I am sure it will be something impressive for a dinner party or a posh high tea with a group of friends!

Postscript: The texture and flavour of the pastry skin taste better if left to age in an airtight container for a day or two before serving.