Sakura (Cherry Blossom) Bread

Wash the salt off cherry blossoms under running water, and soak in water for around 20 minutes. Drain the cherry blossoms. Take off the calyx and leave only the flower petal for later use.

Wash the salt off cherry blossoms (for decoration) under running water. Dust with granulated sugar.

Melt red food colouring with a small amount of tap water.

Spread salad oil in the pot, and place a piece of parchment paper.

Mix milk (heated to around 40℃), food colouring in a heat proof container. Then add dry yeast and sugar. Mix well with a spatula.

Add half the portion of bread flour into mixing jug. Mix well.

Add salt and butter into mixing jug. Mix well. Then add beaten egg, condensed milk and cherry blossom petal. Stir well with the rest of bread flour until no lumps of butter and flour is seen.

Cover mixing jug with plastic wrap. Then leave the mixture in room temperature (around 24℃) for about 25 minutes.

Dust the table. Divide the dough into 5 even portions and form them into balls. Make a small cut of 1cm and 4cm respectively on the left and right end of each dough. When placing balls into the pot, make sure the 4cm cut faces outwards, and the 1cm cut faces the centre.

Replace pot lid. Leave it for about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 200℃.

Press the centre of the dough, place the cherry blossom (for decoration) and dust with rice powder.

Replace pot lid and bake in a 200℃ oven for about 13 minutes. Remove lid and bake for another 35 minutes.

If you find the oven is too strong, cover the pot with a piece of aluminium foil.