Purple Sweet Potato Buns- 紫色番薯小面包

These are sweet potato buns coated with cocoa  powder.  Don't they look like unwashed potatoes?!

I also made a few different patterns.

Can you spot which is the real sweet potato?

Saw this Hong Kong series 生活甜丝丝。And they named this bun as“番薯王子面包” which means Prince Sweet Potato buns. Nice name isn't it? But I do not understand why they regard sweet potato as the prince...

Recipe: Sponge and  Dough Method

Ingredients A: 20 g whole egg
                      40 g fresh milk (do not pour all, I found it is too wet).
                      2 g instant yeast (1/2 tsp)
                      5 g milk powder
                      70 g bread flour

Method:
Combine ingredients A and place into a mixer.  Beat till becomes a dough.  Leave dough in a big and lightly greased bowl, covered and rest for 60 minutes.

Ingredients B:  2 g instant yeast (1/2 tsp)
                       20 g sugar
                       1 g salt
                       50 g mashed sweet potato (steam and then mash)
                       60 g bread flour
                       12 g unsalted  butter (softened)

Filling: Mix mashed sweet potato and icing sugar together.

Method:
1) Combine fermented dough and Ingredients B (except butter), beat for few minutes till a dough is formed.  If the dough  appears too dry, drizzle  in a bit of water.  Add in butter continue to beat until an elastic and smooth dough is formed. Covered and leave to prove for 25 minutes.

2) Punch out air. Divide dough  into 20 g each portion.  Roll to round. Rest for 10 minutes.

3) Flatten the small dough into  round dish and wrap with sweet potato filling and seal up the opening. Shape them into sweet potato shape. Coat with cocoa powder and bread flour. Arrange them onto a greased baking tray. Leave to prove for 35- 40 minutes or double in size.

4) Bake in preheated oven  at 180 degree C for 12 - 15 minutes.