Gyeongju-ppang

Warm 120ml milk to 38-40C, stir in 30g sugar and 4g instant yeast, and leave the mixture for 5 minutes. Combine 220g all-purpose flour with 3g salt, then add the yeast milk and 1 egg. Mix until no dry flour remains and the dough gathers into a rough mass. Add 25g unsalted butter and knead for about 8 minutes, continuing until the butter is absorbed, the surface is smooth, and the dough stretches slightly before tearing. Cover it and let it rise at 28-30C for about 40 minutes, using doubled volume as the cue to press out the largest gas pockets and divide it into 8 pieces. Divide 260g sweet red bean paste into 8 firm balls. Flatten each dough portion, enclose one filling ball, and pinch the seam completely closed. Set every pastry seam side down on the pan and press the top lightly to create the flat profile. Bake in an oven heated to 180C for 15-18 minutes. Remove the pastries when their tops are pale golden and let them cool. Firm paste and a fully closed seam keep the filling centered while the thin surrounding dough expands in the oven.