An-doughnut, or Sweet Red Bean Doughnut, is a type of Japanese-style doughnut. It is a deep-fried confectionery and a variant of traditional doughnuts with a Japanese twist, containing Anko sweet red bean paste as a filling. Variations of this old-fashioned doughnut have been cherished in Japanese food culture for centuries, and it remains one of the favorite items in bakeries there.
The dough for An-Doughnut can be made with a cake dough with leavening or with a yeast dough. An-doughnuts from many local bakeries in Japan are made from fluffy yeast bread since they already have the dough for other baked goods. On the other hand, An-doughnuts from Japanese confectionery stores are usually denser cake doughnuts using leavening. They are both filled with Anko sweet red bean paste, which could be Tsubu-An, the coarse type, or Koshi-An, the smooth type, depending on the store. After deep-frying, these round doughnuts, without holes in the middle, are coated with sugar.
We make our An-doughnuts using cake dough because it’s slightly easier and faster to make than yeast dough, which involves a couple of hours of dough rising time. When deep-frying cake dough doughnuts, you have to take care not to burn them. Since the cake dough contains more sugar than yeast dough, it tends to color quickly. Cook at a lower temperature and turn them frequently to avoid getting too browned.
An-doughnuts are best eaten when hot and fresh. They can keep for a couple of days, but they may become a little greasy over time. Have everything ready and deep-fry the doughnuts just before serving. A warm An-doughnut is such a delicious treat. Hope you try and indulge in it soon!
An-Doughnut
*Links may contain ad. #CommissionsEarned
Ingredients
- 7 oz cake flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 Tbsp butter room temperature
- 1.75 oz sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 10 Tbsp Anko sweet red bean paste homemade or store-bought
- deep-frying oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
Instructions
- Combine cake flour and baking powder, and sift together a couple of times. Make Anko bean paste into 10 tablespoon-size balls. Spread 1/2 cup sugar thinly on a plate or baking sheet. Set all aside.
- In a large bowl, put soft butter and sugar, and whisk well. Add lightly beaten egg to butter mixture in 3 parts. Then add milk and vanilla and whisk. Add flour mixture, and mix with a wooden spatula or spoon until the dough becomes uniform. If it's too sticky, let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 10 pieces, and form balls. Flatten the dough into 3" (7.5 cm) rounds making the center thicker and the edges thinner. Take an Anko ball, put it in the center of the dough, and wrap it with the dough completely.
- Heat deep-frying oil at medium low temperature. Cook the doughnut balls until golden brown turning frequently. Take care not to burn the surface of the dough.
- While doughnuts are still hot, coat with sugar.
Video
