Baked Manju - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened,plus
extra butter (for buttering parchment)
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
9 ounces red azuki bean paste (tsubushian) or 9 ounces koshi-an (about 1/2 can)
1 egg, beaten

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F Line baking sheet with buttered parchment.
In large bowl of electric mixer, cream butter and sugar; add flour and mix well.
Form dough into 2-inch balls.
Flatten each ball slightly and place 1 tablespoon of an in the center.
Fold dough over an and pinch the ends together.
Place filled dough balls on baking sheets, seam side down (smooth side up).
Brush tops with egg.
Bake for 40 minutes or until lightly browned on top.