Et Nunc Daikanyama proudly offers an assortment of bread that showcases the deliciousness derived from ingredients.
Without a doubt, there are surely many individuals who are curious to know the secret behind the creation of each bread the chef has lovingly created!
The secrets behind our most popular products will be unveiled, ranging from how the bread is made and tasty ways to enjoy it.
This time, we’ll be introducing the highly sought-after Red bean & butter ciabatta, which routinely sells out roughly 100 items per day!
What kind of bread is the Red bean & butter ciabatta?
The Red bean & butter ciabatta may simply appear to be bread with red bean paste and butter sandwiched in between.
However, the various types of red bean paste, butter, and bread used make it an enticing product that allows bakeries to exhibit their unique style.
Ogura toast, a dish consisting of thick-cut toasted bread topped with butter and sweet red bean paste, originated in a long-established coffee shop in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture back in the Taisho Era (1912-26). However, this specialty is now available in bakeries across the country having since gained nationwide popularity.
Et Nunc Daikanyama's Red bean & butter ciabatta uses the following ingredients:
・Red bean paste made with Hokkaido-grown Erimo azuki beans
・Cultured butter made with raw milk from Hokkaido’s Konsen Plateau
・Domestic fleur de sel (natural sea salt)
These thoughtfully selected ingredients are inside Et Nunc Daikanyama's prized ciabatta, which is made using “Kitanokaori,” a rare variety referred to as miracle wheat.
So, how exactly is Et Nunc Daikanyama's Red bean & butter ciabatta made?
Before being placed in the display case,
there are three essential steps in making the Red bean & butter ciabatta.
1. Prepare the ciabatta dough
2. Proceed to bake the ciabatta dough that has been resting overnight
3. Oven-baked ciabatta is sandwiched with red bean paste and butter, then topped with salt
The chef's commitment is hidden within these three seemingly simple steps.
This time, we will especially reveal this secret to you.
1. Prepare the ciabatta dough
Malt extract, which is produced through the conversion of starch to sugar and malt concentration, is added to water.
While sugar serves as nutrition for yeast, it is not added when baking hard, crusty bread. Rather, malt extract takes on this role, allowing the dough to achieve stable fermentation.
Malt extract also helps improve the dough's elasticity, golden-brown color, and overall flavor.
Once malt extract is added to water, the main ingredient of domestically-grown Kitanokaori wheat is mixed in along with salt and homemade sourdough starter.
Often hailed as miracle wheat, Kitanokaori is a rare wheat variety from Hokkaido that is said to be named for the “enticing aroma of Hokkaido bread.”
Domestic Kitanokaori wheat is mixed with a surprising amount of water. 90% water, to be exact.
The high water content in ciabatta dough gives it a shiny, springy consistency similar to pudding and a soft, stretchy feel like mochi.
Once prepared, the dough is left to rest overnight to facilitate the fermentation process.
2. Proceed to bake the ciabatta dough that has been resting overnight
After the fermentation process is finished, the dough is cut into suitably-sized pieces for the Red bean & butter ciabatta.
Then, the cut pieces of dough are individually hand-shaped and placed on a baking tray prior to entering the oven.
Plenty of steam is used to saturate the oven, which prevents moisture from escaping from the dough.
It is baked at a high temperature for 15 minutes until perfectly golden brown.
The enticing aroma of ciabatta fills the store the moment the oven is opened.
The best part of a boulangerie is the instant the aroma of freshly baked bread, straight from the oven, greets customers.
3. Oven-baked ciabatta is sandwiched with red bean paste and butter, then topped with salt
The oven-baked ciabatta is thoroughly cooled to keep the butter in between from melting.
Once cooled, the side of the ciabatta is carefully cut before red bean paste and cultured butter is sandwiched between the slit.
Just like the wheat, the red bean paste and cultured butter originate from Hokkaido.
Both ingredients were specifically selected by the chef for the Red bean & butter ciabatta.
Crafted from richly flavorful and aromatic Erimo azuki beans, the red bean paste has a subtle sweetness designed to bring out the natural yeast flavor of the ciabatta.
Additionally, the cultured butter paired with the red bean paste is exceptional.
This butter, crafted with raw milk originating from Hokkaido’s Konsen Plateau, features a notably creamy, full-bodied taste.
Domestic fleur de sel (natural sea salt) is added as the finishing touch.
A final sprinkling of large, natural sea salt flakes over the Red bean & butter ciabatta helps accentuate its sweetness.
Chef’s Recommendation for the Most Delicious Experience
The ciabatta is expertly baked to retain moisture, resulting in a moist and chewy texture where the wheat's natural sweetness grows stronger with each chew.
While the elegantly sweet red bean paste and milky cultured butter appear like the main ingredients at first glance, they are actually perfect supporting additions that elevate the ciabatta’s original yeast flavor.
The perfectly balanced flavors of the Red bean & butter ciabatta is a delicacy that will tempt everyone, from children to adults, to reach for just one more!
The chef recommends enjoying it as an afternoon snack with Japanese tea.
While bread is typically enjoyed with coffee or tea, the Red bean & butter ciabatta surprisingly pairs well with Japanese tea since it fuses Japanese and Western flavors.
Now that the secret has been disclosed, what are your thoughts regarding the Red bean & butter ciabatta?
As a boulangerie delivering “the day’s deliciousness,” Et Nunc Daikanyama is where you can enjoy the present moment with bread.