Trần Quỳnh Chi, a 23-year-old self-taught baker, runs the online bakery The Warm Oven CS. Her oven has been running since 2018 and the bakery is among the most popular businesses on Instagram and Facebook.

Baker Trần Quỳnh Chi from The Warm Oven CS. Photo courtesy of Trần Quỳnh Chi

Chi creates her own recipes which incorporate multiple Vietnamese ingredients to bring western-style cookies with a Việt Nam twist. For the health of her customers, Chi uses finest ingredients and as little sugar as possible. Her cakes are at a reasonable price range and thus, are adored by many.

This recipe for heart-shaped purple sweet potato soft bread is a perfect breakfast, dessert or snack for a chilly weather, while the adorable appearance is also great to be gifted to loved ones.

Heart-shaped purple sweet potato soft bread. Photo courtesy of The Warm Oven CS

Heart-shaped sweet potato soft bread

Ingredients (for six pieces)

For the filling

• 300g raw purple sweet potato
• 20g melted butter

For the bread

• 300g bread flour (choose one that says No 13 on the package or has a protein level of 11.5 to 13)
• 2g salt
• 40g white sugar
• 5g instant yeast
• 150ml fresh milk
• 1 egg
• 30 butter (at room temperature)

Instructions

For the filling

• Steam the sweet potato until soft, then peel and mash until smooth.
• Add in the melted butter and mix well.
• Divide the mixture into six equal parts, cover with plastic wrap to prevent the surface from drying.

For the bread

• Fully combine all the dry ingredients, then add in milk and mix thoroughly. If the dough is dry, gradually add more milk. If the dough is too wet, gradually add more flour. The final dough should be kneadable and the texture should not be too sticky or too dry.
• Knead the dough by hand or a machine until the surface is almost smooth, then add butter and continue until fully smooth and elastic.

First proofing

• Light grease the bowl and the dough with a thin layer of oil.
• Place the dough in the bowl with the smooth side up, then cover and let it proof at room temperature until double in size (around an hour).

Shaping

• Divide the dough into six equal parts, then shape each into little ball and cover to rest for ten minutes.
• After resting, flatten each dough ball to release any air and roll it out into an oval shape.
• Place a portion of sweet potato filling on half of the dough lengthwise, fold and pinch the edges to seal. The dough is now in a cylindrical shape.
• Fold the two ends of the dough and press the edges. Now we have two new ends: the top end without filling and the bottom one with the filling.
• Use a sharp knife to cut only the bottom end lengthwise, leaving the top intact.
• Open the two flaps to make the heart shape. Make any additional adjustments if needed.

Second proofing

• After shaping, cover the dough and leave it again at room temperature until it expands by about 80 per cent (approximately 45 minutes).
• While waiting for the second proofing, preheat the oven to 180°C or 356°F.

Baking

• Lower the heat to 170°C or 356°F and bake the bread for 15 minutes.

Finishing touches

• Remove the bread from the oven and immediately brush the surface with melted butter for a glossy finish.

Pairing

• The bread is best eaten warm with milk.
• Store the unfinished bread in an airtight container or in the fridge for up to five days. It can be heated again in the oven at 100°C or 212°F for around five minutes. VNS