SNS Sensation! Soft and Sweet Sweet Potato Bread
Make Cafe-Worthy Sweet Potato Bread at Home! (feat. Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes)
Experience the viral sensation that’s taking SNS by storm: Sweet Potato Bread! This delightful bread features a chewy exterior and a rich, sweet sweet potato filling. If you’ve been craving this treat but couldn’t find it locally, this recipe is your key to creating cafe-quality sweet potato bread right in your own kitchen. We’ll even share a tip for making perfect roasted sweet potatoes in your oven!
Dough
- Fine Soft T 420g
- Fine Soft 202 60g
- Bread Flour 30g
- Salt 6-8 pinches
- Butter 110g (room temperature)
- Grapeseed Oil 10g
- Corn Syrup 10g
- Eggs 2 (room temperature)
- Milk 150-160g (room temperature)
- Purple Sweet Potato Powder
Filling
- Sweet Potatoes 500g
- White Bean Paste 250g
- Sweet Potatoes 500g
- White Bean Paste 250g
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. Making the Moist Roasted Sweet Potato Filling: Let’s start with the heart of our bread: the sweet potato filling. Thoroughly wash the sweet potatoes, ideally using sweet varieties for the best flavor. (If you don’t have homegrown ones, store-bought are perfectly fine.)
Step 2
Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes: Instead of wrapping each sweet potato in foil, a simpler method for moist results is to place them directly on an oven rack lined with parchment paper. Bake in an oven preheated to 200°C (390°F) for about 1 hour. This technique helps retain moisture, yielding incredibly soft and flavorful roasted sweet potatoes. (Adjust baking time and temperature based on your oven’s specifications.)
Step 3
Perfectly Roasted Sweet Potatoes: After an hour, remove the sweet potatoes from the oven. They should be golden brown and wonderfully fragrant. The inside will be a beautiful yellow, moist, and naturally sweet – so delicious you could eat them as is! They’re so moist, you won’t even need a drink to wash them down.
Step 4
Prepare the Sweet Potato Filling: Once the roasted sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and mash them while still warm. Combine the mashed sweet potato with white bean paste and mix well to create the filling. The white bean paste adds sweetness and helps the filling hold its shape. Feel free to adjust the ratio of sweet potato to bean paste according to your preference. (In this recipe, we’ve used a higher proportion of sweet potato to highlight its natural sweetness.)
Step 5
Fill the Piping Bag: Transfer the prepared sweet potato filling into a piping bag for easy and neat filling of the bread dough.
Step 6
2. Crafting the Chewy Dough: Now, let’s make the wonderfully chewy dough for our sweet potato bread. Ensure your butter is softened to room temperature by leaving it out for about 30-60 minutes before you begin.
Step 7
Cream Butter and Eggs: In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter until smooth. Gradually add the room-temperature eggs, a little at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated.
Step 8
Don’t worry if the mixture looks a bit curdled at this stage; it might appear separated. This is normal, as it will be further mixed and kneaded by hand later.
Step 9
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the Fine Soft T, Fine Soft 202, bread flour, and salt. (For a finer texture, you can sift these ingredients.)
Step 10
Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the creamed butter-egg mixture and the room-temperature milk to the dry ingredients. Stir with a spatula until just combined and no dry flour streaks remain.
Step 11
Knead the Dough: Once the dough becomes difficult to mix with the spatula, turn it out onto a clean surface and knead by hand until it forms a smooth, cohesive ball of dough.
Step 12
Divide the Dough: Portion the dough into equal pieces, approximately 50g each. This will ensure all your sweet potato breads are uniform in size.
Step 13
Keep Dough Covered: Cover the divided dough pieces with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. This prevents the surface from drying out while you work on shaping them.
Step 14
Fill and Shape: Flatten each piece of dough into an oval shape. Pipe a generous amount of the sweet potato filling into the center of the flattened dough.
Step 15
Seal Carefully: Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the edges together securely, like making a dumpling. Gently roll the shaped dough between your palms to create a smooth oval. Sealing the edges thoroughly is crucial to prevent the filling from leaking out during baking. (Baking classes often teach techniques for a perfect crack-free finish, but for home baking, a secure seal is key. If your filling is too runny, consider increasing the sweet potato ratio for a thicker consistency. Also, avoid rolling the dough too thin.)
Step 16
Second Shaping and Coloring: After the initial shaping, lightly dust the dough with purple sweet potato powder for color. Then, carefully shape it further to resemble a natural sweet potato.
Step 17
Prepare for Baking: Feeling a bit anxious about potential cracking, I baked just 6 loaves initially. Ensure the shaped breads are covered loosely to prevent drying before baking.
Step 18
Bake the Breads: Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C (340°F) for about 13 minutes. The sweet aroma of baking sweet potatoes will fill your kitchen! (Baking time and temperature may vary depending on your oven, so keep an eye on them.)
Step 19
Incredible Taste! A Perfect Blend of Chewy and Sweet: After 13 minutes, the sweet potato breads emerged beautifully baked with minimal cracking. The taste test was amazing! The chewy, mochi-like dough perfectly complements the sweet, creamy sweet potato filling. It’s easy to see why this bread is so popular. Enjoying them warm and fresh is the best experience!
Step 20
Shape and Bake the Rest: Shape and bake the remaining dough pieces in the same way, adding small cuts with a knife to enhance their resemblance to real sweet potatoes. Now, enjoy your delicious homemade sweet potato bread!
