Black Sesame Seeds Bread

5.0 from 13 reviews

Author: Anita Jacobson

Categories: Bread

Cuisines: Chinese

Ingredients: Nuts and Seeds

Prep Time: 3 hours

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 3 hours 20 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• Bread dough
• 7 gram (1 packet, or 2 1/4 teaspoon) active dry yeast
• 5 gram (~ 1 teaspoon) sugar
• 200 ml (13.5 tablespoon) milk, lukewarm (38 Celsius/100 Fahrenheit)
• 320-360 gram (~ 3 cup) all-purpose flour
• 75 gram (~ 6 tablespoon) sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 35 gram (~ 2.5 tablespoon) unsalted butter, softened
• Black sesame seeds filling
• 3 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 6 tablespoon black sesame seeds, toasted and ground
• 6 tablespoon sugar
• Egg wash
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoon water
• black sesame seeds for decoration, toasted (optional)

Instructions

1. Mix together active dry yeast, 5 gram sugar, and lukewarm milk. Set aside to bloom, or until foamy and frothy, about 10 minutes.
2. In a mixing bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt. Make a well, then add in egg yolks, butter, and yeast solution. Knead until smooth and soft, only adding a bit of flour if necessary. Kneading time is about 20-30 minutes.
3. Place bread dough in a bowl, cover with a wet kitchen towel/saran plastic. Set aside to proof until volume is almost doubled, about 1 hour in a warm kitchen.
4. Meanwhile, grease and flour a 9" cake pan. Also, mix together the 1/4 cup ground toasted black sesame seeds and the 1/4 cup sugar. Set these aside.
5. Once the bread has finished proofing, punch down to remove air bubbles. Then transfer the bread to a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 2 minutes, then divide into 12 portions.
6. To shape the bread, roll each bread dough portion into an oblong about 3"x5". Brush with melted unsalted butter, spread 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds sugar mixture to half the dough (lengthwise), leaving 0.5" of the edges uncovered, fold the dough to encase the filling, pinching the edges so the filling doesn't leak. Then make 2 slits lengthwise, grab each end with your hands, then gently twirls a couple of times, and connect the two ends to create a spiral shape. Place the shaped dough onto the prepared pan.
7. Cover the pan with a wet kitchen towel/saran plastic wrap. Let the dough proof until volume is doubled, about 1 hour in a warm kitchen.
8. Preheat oven to 180 Celsius (350 Fahrenheit). Mix together egg yolk with 2 teaspoon water to make an egg wash and brush the top of the bread liberally with this. If you wish, you can also sprinkle the bread with some toasted black sesame seeds. Bake the bread in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.