Japanese-Style Sweet Bun Dough 湯種甜麵糰
This is another version of the Japanese-style 65°C water-roux bun dough. This version is sweeter and is more suitable for use with sweet fillings. Although I don’t see why it can’t also be used for savoury fillings as other straight-dough or sponge-dough versions of the sweet bun dough has been used to make sweet and savoury buns. So I have used this dough to make sweet Coconut Cream Buns and also the savoury Pork Floss Buns. Apart from the sweeter taste of this dough, I really can’t taste much difference between this dough and the other one I posted previously. The other one is probably slightly softer due to an extra egg and more butter but it is hard to judge without tasting both side by side. So it is up to you which version of the water-roux doughs you prefer.
Adapted from the recipe '基本65°C湯種甜麵糰' in '65°C湯種麵包' by 陳郁芬.
Water-Roux Sweet Bun Dough 基本湯種甜麵糰
Makes 16 portions.
[Ingredients]
375g bread flour
100g plain flour (or use 80g plain flour + 20g vanilla custard powder, or cornflour)
35g milk powder
75g caster sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 sachet (7g or 2½ tsp) instant dry yeast
1 egg, lightly beaten
150ml (approx.) lukewarm water, adjust as necessary (I only needed 130ml for this batch)
40g butter, cubed
Water Roux * (湯種):
25g (just under 2 tbsp) bread flour
125ml (1/2 cup) water
* Water Roux is basically 1 part bread flour to 5 parts water.
http://cafeoftheeast.blogspot.com/
[Preparation]
Water Roux (湯種):
Mix flour and water in a small saucepan. Cook over low to medium heat, stirring continuously until it reaches 65ºC. It should have thickened to a paste at this stage, that is when you stir you can see the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat, place a cling wrap (cling film) over the paste and leave until lukewarm, or room temperature, before using. (Alternatively if you don’t have a thermometer, cook as before until it starts to thicken, then continue to cook for about 1 more minute before removing from heat.) This water roux can be kept in an airtight container after cooling in the refrigerator for 1 day if not used immediately. However DO NOT USE if it turns grey in colour, that means it has gone bad.
For the Bun Dough:
1. Sift bread flour, plain flour, (custard powder,) milk powder, caster sugar and salt onto the working surface. Add instant dry yeast and mix well. Form the flour mixture into a well. Add lightly beaten egg and lukewarm water roux and mix in. Gradually add just enough lukewarm water to form into a slightly sticky, soft dough. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. During hand kneading, the dough also needs to be thrown onto the working surface once every few minutes between kneading to improve the dough structure. (I usually just pick up the dough to about head-high and throw it down onto the working surface 10 to 20 times every few minutes between kneading.)
2. Knead in butter until incorporated. (In many cookbooks, they mentioned that the dough at this stage should be able to be pulled and stretched into membrane, but it’s hard to achieve with hand kneading. I usually stop kneading when the dough sticks to the work surface and stretches like chewing gum when pulled!) Form the dough into a round ball and let it rise until double in size in a large greased bowl, cover with cling wrap (should take about 1 hour in warm weather, longer in winter months). Optimum room temperature for this first prove is 28°C with a humidity of 75%. To test if the dough has risen properly, dip a finger into bread or plain flour and poke down into the centre of the dough as far as your finger will go and pull out again – the hole should remain if it is ready. If the dough springs back, then it is not ready, continue to prove further.
3. Punch down, knead briefly. Then divide into 16 equal portions. The easiest way is to first divide equally into 4 larger portions first, then divide each of these again into quarters each. Form each into balls and let rest for 10 minutes.
4. Shape and fill as desired to make into buns of your choice (to make Coconut Cream Buns or Pork Floss Buns, see below, or click here for making Polo Buns). Place all finished buns on a greased baking sheet, lightly cover with cling wrap, and let rise until double in size (about 1 hour in warm weather, longer in winter months). Optimum room temperature for this final prove is 38°C with a humidity of 85%.
Plain buns before final proving..
Plain buns after final proving (double in size).
5. Bake in preheated 190°C oven for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Plain buns after baking.
Texture inside.
Pork Floss Buns
Makes 8 buns.
[Ingredients]
½ portion Water-Roux (Sweet) Bun Dough
½ egg, lightly beaten for eggwash
White sesame seeds
Mayonnaise
Pork Floss
[Preparation]
Take each of the 8 small divided balls and roll out with a rolling pin into an oval shape. Roll up, Swiss-roll style, from the short side into a olive shape. Make sure the end is pressed down to seal or else the bun will open up after proving. Space them apart on a greased baking sheet or tray, sealed side down. Let rise until double in size. Brush with eggwash and sprinkle with some sesame seeds. Bake in preheated 190°C oven for about 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown in colour. Let cool on a cooling rack.
When cold, make a cut lengthwise on the top down to about ¾ deep. Spread some mayonnaise inside the cut and also around the side of the bun. Fill inside and also around the side with pork floss.
Coconut Cream Buns
Makes 8 buns.
[Ingredients]
½ portion Water-Roux Sweet Bun Dough
½ egg, lightly beaten for eggwash
Sweetened whipped cream
Desiccated coconut
[Preparation]
Take each of the 8 small divided balls and roll out with a rolling pin into an oval shape. Roll up, Swiss-roll style, from the short side into a olive shape. Make sure the end is pressed down to seal or else the bun will open up after proving. Space them apart on a greased baking sheet or tray, sealed side down. Let rise until double in size. Brush with eggwash and bake in preheated 190°C oven for about 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown in colour. Let cool on a cooling rack. When cold, make a cut lengthwise on the top down to about ¾ deep. Spread some sweetened whipped cream around the side of the bun. Dip the coated bun in some desiccated coconut to coat. Open the cut and pipe more sweetened whipped cream in the opening.
[Note]
1. Please note this recipe uses 1 standard cup of 250ml, 1 tablespoon of 20ml and 1 teaspoon of 5ml.
2. The size of egg used is about 60g (includes shell) unless otherwise stated.
Adapted from the recipe '基本65°C湯種甜麵糰' in '65°C湯種麵包' by 陳郁芬.
Water-Roux Sweet Bun Dough 基本湯種甜麵糰
Makes 16 portions.
[Ingredients]
375g bread flour
100g plain flour (or use 80g plain flour + 20g vanilla custard powder, or cornflour)
35g milk powder
75g caster sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 sachet (7g or 2½ tsp) instant dry yeast
1 egg, lightly beaten
150ml (approx.) lukewarm water, adjust as necessary (I only needed 130ml for this batch)
40g butter, cubed
Water Roux * (湯種):
25g (just under 2 tbsp) bread flour
125ml (1/2 cup) water
* Water Roux is basically 1 part bread flour to 5 parts water.
http://cafeoftheeast.blogspot.com/
[Preparation]
Water Roux (湯種):
Mix flour and water in a small saucepan. Cook over low to medium heat, stirring continuously until it reaches 65ºC. It should have thickened to a paste at this stage, that is when you stir you can see the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat, place a cling wrap (cling film) over the paste and leave until lukewarm, or room temperature, before using. (Alternatively if you don’t have a thermometer, cook as before until it starts to thicken, then continue to cook for about 1 more minute before removing from heat.) This water roux can be kept in an airtight container after cooling in the refrigerator for 1 day if not used immediately. However DO NOT USE if it turns grey in colour, that means it has gone bad.
For the Bun Dough:
1. Sift bread flour, plain flour, (custard powder,) milk powder, caster sugar and salt onto the working surface. Add instant dry yeast and mix well. Form the flour mixture into a well. Add lightly beaten egg and lukewarm water roux and mix in. Gradually add just enough lukewarm water to form into a slightly sticky, soft dough. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. During hand kneading, the dough also needs to be thrown onto the working surface once every few minutes between kneading to improve the dough structure. (I usually just pick up the dough to about head-high and throw it down onto the working surface 10 to 20 times every few minutes between kneading.)
2. Knead in butter until incorporated. (In many cookbooks, they mentioned that the dough at this stage should be able to be pulled and stretched into membrane, but it’s hard to achieve with hand kneading. I usually stop kneading when the dough sticks to the work surface and stretches like chewing gum when pulled!) Form the dough into a round ball and let it rise until double in size in a large greased bowl, cover with cling wrap (should take about 1 hour in warm weather, longer in winter months). Optimum room temperature for this first prove is 28°C with a humidity of 75%. To test if the dough has risen properly, dip a finger into bread or plain flour and poke down into the centre of the dough as far as your finger will go and pull out again – the hole should remain if it is ready. If the dough springs back, then it is not ready, continue to prove further.
3. Punch down, knead briefly. Then divide into 16 equal portions. The easiest way is to first divide equally into 4 larger portions first, then divide each of these again into quarters each. Form each into balls and let rest for 10 minutes.
4. Shape and fill as desired to make into buns of your choice (to make Coconut Cream Buns or Pork Floss Buns, see below, or click here for making Polo Buns). Place all finished buns on a greased baking sheet, lightly cover with cling wrap, and let rise until double in size (about 1 hour in warm weather, longer in winter months). Optimum room temperature for this final prove is 38°C with a humidity of 85%.
Plain buns before final proving..
Plain buns after final proving (double in size).
5. Bake in preheated 190°C oven for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Plain buns after baking.
Texture inside.
Pork Floss Buns
Makes 8 buns.
[Ingredients]
½ portion Water-Roux (Sweet) Bun Dough
½ egg, lightly beaten for eggwash
White sesame seeds
Mayonnaise
Pork Floss
[Preparation]
Take each of the 8 small divided balls and roll out with a rolling pin into an oval shape. Roll up, Swiss-roll style, from the short side into a olive shape. Make sure the end is pressed down to seal or else the bun will open up after proving. Space them apart on a greased baking sheet or tray, sealed side down. Let rise until double in size. Brush with eggwash and sprinkle with some sesame seeds. Bake in preheated 190°C oven for about 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown in colour. Let cool on a cooling rack.
When cold, make a cut lengthwise on the top down to about ¾ deep. Spread some mayonnaise inside the cut and also around the side of the bun. Fill inside and also around the side with pork floss.
Coconut Cream Buns
Makes 8 buns.
[Ingredients]
½ portion Water-Roux Sweet Bun Dough
½ egg, lightly beaten for eggwash
Sweetened whipped cream
Desiccated coconut
[Preparation]
Take each of the 8 small divided balls and roll out with a rolling pin into an oval shape. Roll up, Swiss-roll style, from the short side into a olive shape. Make sure the end is pressed down to seal or else the bun will open up after proving. Space them apart on a greased baking sheet or tray, sealed side down. Let rise until double in size. Brush with eggwash and bake in preheated 190°C oven for about 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown in colour. Let cool on a cooling rack. When cold, make a cut lengthwise on the top down to about ¾ deep. Spread some sweetened whipped cream around the side of the bun. Dip the coated bun in some desiccated coconut to coat. Open the cut and pipe more sweetened whipped cream in the opening.
[Note]
1. Please note this recipe uses 1 standard cup of 250ml, 1 tablespoon of 20ml and 1 teaspoon of 5ml.
2. The size of egg used is about 60g (includes shell) unless otherwise stated.
Labels: Asian Buns and Pancakes
posted by SeaDragon @ 21.8.07
11 Comments:
Hi Seadragon, I love the breads and buns that you have made...they are so lovely! I have came across the same book 65degC water-roux cookbook :) I didn't try the recipes as I don't have a thermometer :(
The coconut creme buns are my favorite. I ate these all the time when I lived in Hong Kong. Great site.
Happy Homebaker,
Thanks :)
Salvatore,
I love Coconut Cream Buns too, always bought some whenever I passed by an Asian bakeries.
Hi,
I had visited some Chinese websites on the tang-zhong dough and I remember reading somewhere that if the tang-zhong (or water-roux) can be kept in the fridge for 24 hours before using, the effect would even be better. What do you think? Also, your blog entries mentioned that the water-roux can be kept aside for a while before using, would we need to warm it up again to lukewarm temperature before using? Or can we use it straight from the fridge or at room temperature? Thanks for your thoughts.
Serena,
Not too sure about the effect of keeping the water roux for 24 hours, so far I have not tested that myself. I have been making the water roux and used it as soon as it had cooled down to lukewarm (40C or below), usually within about 1/2 hour in winter (I would prepare the filling in the meantime).
If you are storing the water roux in the fridge, I would let it come back to room temperature before using, no need to warm it up to lukewarm again. HTH.
that Coconut cream buns sure looks good !!!!
Lady Vanilla,
Thanks :)
Hi Seadragon,
Your recipe require milk powder. I don't have milk powder what I omit it or what can I substitute it with. Please advise. Thanks
Millie
Millie,
You can omit the milk powder,
or
use milk (warm up slightly) instead of the lukewarm water.
Hope this help :)
I've made the pork floss bread and the sausage bread, my children love it. I'll try the coconut cream the next time. Tks for sharing.
This recipe sounds delicious, I can't wait to try making these buns.
Post a Comment
<< Home