40 min "Piggies-On-Merry-Go-Round" Azuki Buns

A bread that only takes 40 mins from start to your mouth! How good is that! This 40 min bread has been going around the circles in culinary kitchenette after domestic goddess wannabe shared this lovely recipe and I had to try! Verdict: it does make bread that is really soft and keeps soft next day! Her blog is a must-read for it's excellent troubleshooting guide and tips.

I adapted the recipe to make 6 azuki buns, my family's favourite, and piggy buns, requested by my daughter ^_^. This recipe includes a quick shaping tutorial using cutters for piggies with azuki filling to shape the buns in just 10 mins (inspired by a friend's piggy buns).

Ingredients (makes 6)

1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp warm water
1/6 cup oil
1 tbsp instant yeast
1/8 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 egg
1 3/4 cup bread flour

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 220^oC.

2. In your mixer bowl, combine the water, oil, yeast and sugar (top left) and allow it to rest for 15 minutes to let the yeast come to life (top right). During this time, I divided the azuki paste into 40g balls.
3. Add in salt, egg and flour (bottom left). Using your dough hook, mix and knead until will incorporated (bottom right) and dough is soft and smooth (less than 5 minutes).
4. Oil your hands and work surface so that the dough doesn't stick to them. Shape dough into 6 piggies balls with azuki paste (10 min).

- Roll dough into 2-3mm thick sheet.
- Use a cup (I used McDonald's cola cup) to make 6 big circles for dough and 3 cm round cutter to make 11 small circles.
- For the noses, make 2 small holes using toothpick in 6 of the small circles.
- For the ears, cut 3 of the small circles into quarters (each quarter is a ear).
- For the tiny feet, cut 2 of the small circles into quarters, then further divide each quarter into 2 to make a feet.
- Place each azuki ball into the big circles, seal and pinch tight, and place in a greased 17 cm chiffon tin with its pinched side facing down.
- Stick on the noses, ears and feet.
- Use a toothpick to carve out piggy eyes on the buns.
5. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Glaze lightly with egg wash.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Don't the piggies look so comfy snuggling together? That's my happy girl eating her piggy bun! :)

With love,
Susanne