I wonder if this is because we have not been traveling to anywhere for the past two years due to Covid and we need a holiday so badly.
Fortunately, I'm feeling less sad whenever I baked something nice and pretty. Just like when I was baking this bread.
I felt victorious when I removed this bread from its baking pan, I was thinking...
"I have finally got it right."
Then, I was humming a triumphal rhythm and smiling a lot while slicing this Super Soft Black Sesame Marble Swirl Bread...
This is me feeling happy baking thisSuper Soft Black Sesame Marble Swirl Bread Loaf!
Why am I feeling like a champion baking this bread? Why am I so drama? LOL!
Please don't laugh at me. I have been trying to bake a decent black sesame bread for a looooong time. Nothing was successful because my fully-loaded black sesame breads turned out to be dense and doughy. Although these intensely black sesame breads look slick, sexy and pretty, their taste and texture are really below average.
Then, I had an idea!
I can't incorporate black sesame into these breads but I can include thousands layers of black sesame into a super soft bread.
And I did!
These very black sesame breads might look slick, sexy and pretty...
but they are mostly dense and doughy.
Clearly, they are not good enough!
Next, I used the bread recipe from the Super Soft and Moist Cinnamon Sultana Swirl Bread at here and made a loaf of bread with many layers of black sesame paste... And it was a success!
I had a positive feeling that this bread will taste good.
I'm right!The bread looks impressive too with its "thousands" layers of black sesame.
It turned out to be more than "good"!It's super soft! And super awesome!Very delicious due to its many layers of black sesame. And the sweetness is just right!
YES! I would say that this recipe is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Would you?
I have a 2 minute-video that will help you to visualize the steps that I used to shape and bake this pretty bread. From the video, you might see that this bread dough is sticky and difficult to hand-knead. Thus, I would strongly recommend kneading the dough using a breadmaker or an electric mixer with hook attachment. No hand kneading, please. You should not add more flour into the dough while kneading but you can dust your hand, working surfaces and rolling pin with more flour while shaping the bread.
Please don't freak when the dough sticks on your hands or the black sesame paste seems to be everywhere... It's ok! All you need is some zen and also some flour to dust your hands. Soon, you will feel really good baking this awesome bread.
Music: BensoundTo me, baking this beautiful bread is like an energy recharge. It helps me to feel a lot better now.
I hope that you will like baking this recipe as much as I do. If you like this recipe, please support me! Please LIKE, SHARE and FOLLOW my Facebook at
here or here or my Instagram @zoebakeforhappykids or SUBCRIBE my YouTube channel at here. Your LIKE, SHARE, FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE mean a lot to me and will keep me motivated and share more of my tried-and-tested recipes in the future. Thank you!!!Here's the recipe.For the black sesame layer mixture:
100g black sesame paste with 49% fat and no added sugar
30g caster sugar
For the bread dough:
180g water at room temperature about 25°C / 75°F
15g honey
30g neutral-tasting vegetable oil
50g egg (from 1 large egg but please use the exact weight)
300g bread flour with 12% protein
15g milk powder - please do not replace this ingredient and water with milk.
2g salt
1 tsp instant dry yeast
vegetable oil spray to grease the loaf pan
extra vegetable oil (about 1-2 tbsp) for brushing
extra bread flour for dusting and shaping but please use the minimal amount
For the black sesame layer mixture:
Mix black sesame paste and sugar until combined. Set aside.
For the bread dough:
Place all the ingredients in a breadmaker according to the order of the above list. Use the dough setting to knead the dough for 30 mins or until it is smooth and elastic and allow the dough to prove for 1 hr or until doubled in size.
If you are using an electric mixer with an hook attachment to knead, combine all ingredients in the mixing bowl and mix at the lowest speed until a soft dough forms. Continue to knead at second lowest speed for at least 25 mins or until the dough is smooth and elastic. It is important that the dough has to be elastic and stretchy. Cover the dough and allow the dough to prove in a warm and humid place for about 1 hr or until doubled in size.
Important note: This bread dough is sticky and I do not recommend hand-kneading. You should NOT add more flour into the dough while kneading but you can dust your hand, working surfaces and rolling pin with more flour while shaping the bread.
Grease 10 x 20 cm loaf pan with vegetable oil spray.
To shape the dough into bread loaf:
Divide dough into 2 equal portions, about 280-290g each. Shape both portions dough into smooth balls. Allow them to rest at room temperature for about 10 mins.
Use the rolling pin to flatten and roll the dough into a flat oval-kind of rectangle, about 15 x 25 cm. Spread half of the sesame paste on the rolled dough evenly but not on the area that is about 0.5 cm away from the edges.
Fold both ends of the dough and seal the dough the joining ends.
Fold one: Use a rolling pin to roll and stretch dough along the folded side into a large rectangle (meaning the longer rolled sides should be folded). Fold one-third of the dough towards its middle and the other one-third from the other end towards its middle. You should get one longish square.
Fold two: Repeat the same roll and fold step that is similar to fold one.
Fold three: Repeat the same roll and fold step that is similar to fold one.
Use a rolling pin to roll and stretch dough into a long rectangle. Pick one shorter side of the dough and roll it tightly like a Swiss roll.
Repeat the same shaping step with the other half of the dough and the black sesame paste.
Place both rolled dough with their round swirl side facing the short side of the pan and their seams side down into the prepared pan. Press the top of the dough lightly to form an even surface. Allow the dough to prove in a warm and humid place for another 60 mins or until the dough is going to reach the maximum height of the loaf pan.
Brush bread dough with oil. Bake in a preheated 180°C (350°F) oven for 25 mins or until thoroughly baked. If your breads are becoming brown too quickly, cover the breads very loosely with aluminum foil at the last 10-15 mins of bake and continue to bake until thoroughly baked.
Remove breads from the loaf pans immediately and transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
To store, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for 2-3 days or freeze in serving portions for 2-3 months.If you want the leftover breads to be super soft just like the day when they are freshly baked, you can heat them slightly in a microwave with high power for 10-20 secs. The re-heated bread will be surprisingly soft, moist and nice again to enjoy!
Happy Baking
