Bean Paste Pastry

Bean Paste Pastry

　　　   Bean Paste Pastry is a common variety among Beijing snacks, named for its red bean paste filling. During baking, the pastry naturally opens up along the edges, causing the filling to ooze out and cling to the sides—earning it the vivid nickname “Toad Spits Honey.”

　　   The making process goes as follows: first, mix white flour with a little baking soda and water to form a dough. Take a portion of the dough, roll it into a strip, divide it into small pieces, and flatten them into shapes similar to dumpling wrappers. Wrap in a generous amount of red bean paste (typically, the filling weighs more than the dough—for example, 17.5 grams of wrapper should hold about 37 grams of filling), then pinch and seal the edges before flattening the pastry into shape. Lightly moisten the edges of the pastry and press on a layer of sesame seeds, ensuring they are dense and evenly distributed. The pastry is then baked in an oven; as the high temperature causes the filling to expand, it bursts naturally through a small gap along the edge and oozes out the red bean paste.

　　   The Bean Paste Pastry is coated with sesame on its edges, offering a crispy, soft, sweet, and fragrant taste.