Azuki (red bean) filling is one of my favourite Asian sweet ingredients. The best I’ve had to date was the koshi-an I had in Kyoto, Japan as an exchange student. I took a wagashi (traditional Japanese confection) course from school in the second semester. The craft is a unique part of traditional Japanese culture. Wagashi has a strong emphasis on seasonality, with its shapes and flavours changing with the seasons. I remember as the instructor was demonstrating, we were all in awe at his skills. The experience was like watching an artist gracefully transforming mochi into edible masterpieces. It turned out that the store Oimatsu that he worked for is one of the oldest and well known in Kyoto. They specialize in kyo-gashi (Kyoto style wagashi), sweets made specifically for imperial court rituals and tea ceremonies. Suddenly it all made sense why the sweets he made were absolutely perfect, and why the koshi-an was the very best. Aside from traditional sweets, anko (cooked and sweetened azuki filling) is used in many non-traditional applications such as breads and western style desserts. Azuki and matcha is a classic flavour combination, rooting from tea ceremonies. Anko is often the balance to the bitterness in matcha. Combining what I know would taste good, I present you: Azuki Brioche Rolls with Matcha Mascarpone.

Tips on buying azuki red bean fillings: They are usually sold in Asian supermarkets. I used a good quality canned red bean filling from Japan, I find that they have the best flavour – not overly sweet with a good texture. You can also find ones in vacuum sealed bags, but the flavour of those are usually sub-par. Japanese style red bean filling doesn’t contain oil or fats, so don’t mistaken them for the Chinese type, which do contain some kind of fat. There are two major types of Japanese style – tsubu-an (the bean is cooked and left whole) or koshi-an (the cooked beans are strained to achieve a smooth texture). In this recipe, I used ogura style, which is somewhere between the two. You can really use whichever you prefer the final texture to be like. I have also tried a Korean canned variety but it had a bitter aftertaste. Leftover filling can be wrapped in plastic with foil, and they keep very well frozen for several months. Besides Asian sweets, I like to make a matcha sponge cake layered in red bean whipped cream. To make whipped cream, simple whip 2 portions of whipping cream to 1 portion of filling until fluffy – so easy but so good!

More tasty brioche recipes from the blog:

• Honey Glazed Brioche Hot Cross Buns
• Plumcot Almond Bostock
• Vanilla Orange Rhubarb Brioche Loaf

Nothing beats the smell of fresh brioche – buttery and tender with the distinct nuttiness and sweetness from the azuki filling. Topped with a dallop of matcha mascarpone, it brightens and complements the richness of the brioche. I can’t get enough of these fresh rolls, they taste great even without the topping. If you need something green and unconventional for this St. Patricks day, this is the one to make! Happy March!