Cranberry Sweet Milk Bun (Yudane)

Soft texture sweet milk buns with chunks of sweet and tangy yuzu-flavoured cranberries embedded within the soft crumb 😋

Yield: 10 small buns

Raw dough weight: 536g

Pan size: 30.5x19x3.5cm

Baking temperature:  Preheat oven to 180℃, middle rack, bake at 180℃ for 5 minutes, lower to 170℃ for 5 minutes, further reduce to 160℃ for 5 minutes turn off oven and continue to bake for 3 minutes.

Ingredients

205g bread flour

20g spelt/superfine wholegrain flour

40g raw sugar

1g instant dry yeast

A little vanillin powder

50g natural yeast/sourdough, 100% hydration*

30g yudane dough^

10g condensed milk

115g low-fat milk, cold 

15g beaten egg 

25g cold water, to be added depending on dough condition

3g low sodium salt

20g unsalted butter, softened

Filling

30g dried cranberries

20g yuzu drink for soaking dried cranberries

Toppings

sprinkle with bread flour

* 50g natural yeast can be replaced by 25g each of bread flour and water + 1/8 tsp instant dry yeast. Let the mixture stand for about 1 hour or more till it doubles in volume, before use. You can also keep the mixture in the fridge overnight and thaw it for 1 hour before use.

^ 30g yudane dough is prepared by combining 16g of bread flour with 16g of very hot or boiling water into a sticky dough. Wrap the yudane dough in cling wrap, and cool down before use. Use a silicone spatula to scrape out the sticky yudane dough from the cling wrap.

Directions:

1. Knead the dough following your preferred method. 

For my method, you can refer to my recipe Yudane Milk Bread. After kneading the dough to window pane stage, 

2. After kneading the milk dough to window pane, shape the milk dough into a ball, and keep in a plastic bag coated with a little cooking oil. Keep the dough in the fridge overnight.

3. Soak dried cranberries in hot water for about 30 seconds. Drain away the water, and cut the cranberries into smaller pieces using a pair of kitchen scissors. Soak the cranberries bits in sweet yuzu drink overnight in the fridge. 

3. In the next day, remove the outer plastic bag, and let the dough thaw at room temperature for about 90 to 100 minutes. Drain away the yuzu drink, and thaw the soaked cranberries, too.

4. Divide the dough into 10 portions, shape into balls and let them rest for about 15 minutes.

5. Roll flat a dough to a thickness of about 5mm. Spread about 3 to 4g of cranberries bits over the dough. Fold in the two wings towards the center, roll up and shape into a small Swiss roll shape.

6. Arrange the shaped dough in a baking tray (30.5x19x3.5cm) lined with parchment paper. Let the shaped dough prove in a cold oven for about 45 to 60 minutes.

60 minutes later 👇

7. Preheat the oven to 180℃. While waiting, dust a thin coat of bread flour over the shaped dough.

8. Bake at 180℃ for 5 minutes, lower to 170℃ for 5 minutes, further reduce to 160℃ for 5 minutes turn off oven and continue to bake for 3 minutes, or till the crust is lightly tanned.

9. Remove the bread from the oven, 

and cool over a wire rack.

Enjoy 😋