Camp. Is. Over. Thank goodness. 

It's been an amazing yet very very very tiring journey, I'm so incredibly glad it's over and I have time to sit down and relax. And read and bake and watch TV. 

Oh and to do homework. Never ending piles of it. 

These matcha buns are soft and fluffy on the inside, and swirled with crunchy sesame. I wanted it to be a paste like texture but it seems my food processor was uncooperative and it ended up being crunchy seeds. I actually like the added crunch it gives but if you prefer a smooth sesame filling go ahead and replace it with black sesame paste. 

And if you're not a fan of black sesame, simply replace it with mashed adzuki beans or chocolate. Oh yes matcha and chocolate. And if you're not a fan of matcha (I wouldn't understand why you aren't haha but anyway), you can leave the bread dough plain and fill it with anything you like! I'm thinking dulce de leche and chopped hazelnuts. Or maybe a cranberry pistachio braided bread. Or maybe salted caramel and pecans. Or maybe peanut butter and caramelised bananas. Or maybe raspberry cheesecake. 

You get it. Endless ideas. 

I think of random things to bake and flavour combinations randomly. Like in the bathroom and before I sleep. Sometimes I dream about it. I know I'm kinda weird. 

The recipe for these buns is using the five thousand dollar bread recipe, the dough as I used for my Curry Potato Buns. It uses an overnight starter which comprises half the flour and water you would use in your bread, a bit of sugar and all the yeast. This makes the buns super soft and fluffy!! 

I'm not putting the recipe for the black sesame filling here because I didn't really measure out the ingredients for it (hehehe) and the filling wasn't that good! You can make your own by blitzing up some black sesame seeds, honey and butter, and adjust the measurements as you go!

105g bread flour 

45g cake flour 

12g sugar 

3g instant yeast (1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp) 

100ml water 

Mix the ingredients for the starter dough together and leave in the fridge overnight, or let prove at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. 

105g bread flour 

45g cake flour 

48g sugar 

1/4 tsp salt 

12g milk powder 

1 tablespoon matcha powder 

45g egg 

27g water 

36g softened butter 

In a large bowl over a stand mixer, combine overnight starter dough, flours, sugar, salt, matcha, milk powder, egg and water. 

Knead using a dough hook attatchemnt until a smooth dough forms. 

Add in the butter and knead until a smooth, tacky and elastic dough forms, and passes the windowpane test. 

Let the dough prove for 1 hour. 

Roll out the dough into a large rectangle, spread the filling on top, and fold into thirds like a letter. 

Cut the folded dough into 16 strips and knot each strip around your fingers. 

Let the shaped dough prove for another 45 minutes - 1 hour or until doubled in size. 

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees celsius. 

Brush the buns with egg wash and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown on top.