Baking Lesson
I had a craving for red bean buns this weekend. Tempting as it was to drive up to the Ranch (99 that is) and buy a few, I decided I should make my own. I like Chinese sweet buns but I’m not crazy about the processed white flour and preservatives that are probably in the buns. I hauled out the bread machine and made a 50% whole wheat sweet bread dough for the buns. I used a can of sweetened red bean paste for the filling and the rest was easy. I was trying to bake and Marshall was not feeling quite like himself: screeching a lot, wanting to be held a lot (potential new cold/cough).
I got a step ladder out and he stood at counter height so that he could watch me make the dough – that made him quite content. After the machine finished making the dough I rolled it out, put the filling in each piece and let them rise.
A quick bake later, we had home made red bean buns. Not bad for a first attempt. Marshall found them to be delicious and promptly put away half of one as soon as he got his hands on it.
  Marc gave him one for breakfast the next morning too. Lucky kid. I don’t ever recall having something this good for breakfast. He quickly ate the filling and slowly finished the rest of the bun.
Verdict: I’ll keep the dough recipe but nix the canned filling. I’d rather make my own with less sugar.  Perhaps if I make Taro filled buns Ora may fly out just for the occasion!