Purple Yam Flower Buns (Banh Mi Bong Khoai Tim)

Purple Yam Flower Buns (Banh Mi Bong Khoai Tim)

Ingredients:
2 lbs Purple Yam
2 1/2 cup Bread Flour
2 tsp. Active Yeast
1 Egg
2/3 cup Almond Milk
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Tbsp. unsalted Butter
Egg Wash
Black Sesame Seeds (optional)

Warm up 2/3 cup Almond Milk, about 95-110 degrees F. Add 2 tsp. Active Yeast.  Mix and set aside.
In a large bowl add 2 1/2 cup Bread Flour, 1/2 cup Sugar, 1/2 tsp. Salt and mix.
Once the yeast activate add in the milk mixture, 1 Egg and 2 Tbsp melted unsalted Butter.  Mix well and knead into a dough.
Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm area until it doubles in size.

In the mean time wash 2 lbs. Purple Yam. Place in a steamer, steam until the yam are cooked.  When a chopstick goes through the yam easily that's how you know it's done.
Remove from steamer.  Let it cool a bit and peel the skin off.  Place the yam in a bowl. Smash the yam together and set aside.

When the dough doubles in size, remove from bowl.  Divide it into equal pieces. Take one piece, flatten it out, place some purple yam in the center and roll into a ball.
Lightly using a rolling pin, flatten it out a bit.  Cut slits around the circle.  Place on baking pan with parchment paper. Repeat until you used up all the dough and purple yam.

Cover with plastic wrap and let it doubles in size.  Once it has double in size, spread some egg wash on it.  Sprinkle some Black Sesame Seeds.  Place in oven and bake at 350 degrees F
for about 12-15 minutes or until golden.