Pineapple buns, or 菠萝包, are probably the most iconic treats from Hong Kong bakeries. Regardless of the identify, there isn’t any precise pineapple in them. The identify comes from the cookie layer on high, which bakes right into a sample that appears just like the floor of a pineapple. Inside, the bread is extremely fluffy and tender, and the topping is buttery and barely candy. So good!
I first tried these at a bakery in Hong Kong years in the past, nonetheless heat from the oven with a thick slab of chilly butter stuffed inside. The distinction between the new bread and the melting butter was unforgettable, and I knew I had to determine easy methods to make them at dwelling. After numerous testing I landed on a model that captures that very same bakery high quality utilizing a stand mixer and easy elements. Sure, that’s proper!
My recipe has 2 components: a cookie dough topping and a milk bread base. I make the topping first so it may possibly chill within the fridge whereas the bread dough rises. As soon as the dough is formed and rested, I place the topping disks on, brush with egg wash twice for that wealthy golden colour, and bake till completely fractured on high.
Belief me, this can be a weekend baking venture, however the outcomes are completely definitely worth the effort. The buns freeze properly, so I at all times make a full batch so my household and I can take pleasure in them each time we wish. I encourage you to offer it a strive by following my step-by-step recipe beneath.
Components
I cut up the elements into 3 teams: the cookie topping that provides the buns their wonderful crust, the enriched bread dough beneath, and a fast egg wash for the shiny end.
Topping: I exploit melted butter, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla blended with flour, baking powder, and baking soda. This creates a crumbly dough that bakes up crunchy and fractures naturally.
Bread: I construct the dough with heat milk, sugar, yeast, heavy cream, egg, bread flour, all goal flour, salt, and softened butter. The mixture of heavy cream and butter makes the bread additional tender and wealthy.
Egg wash: I whisk collectively egg yolks, milk, and a pinch of sugar. Brushing it on twice builds the thick shiny layer I like.
The right way to Make
1. Make the topping dough: Soften the butter and blend it with milk, egg yolk, vanilla, and sugar till easy.
2. Combine: Mix the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a separate bowl, then add to the moist elements and stir till a crumbly dough varieties.
3. Type Dough: Press the crumbs collectively right into a log, wrap in plastic, and chill within the fridge.
4. Activate the yeast: Heat the milk to about 100 to 110°F (38°C) and pour it into the mixer bowl. Add the sugar and yeast, stir, and let it sit for five minutes till bubbly and aromatic.
5. Knead the bread dough: Add the heavy cream, egg, each flours, and salt to the yeast combination. Combine with the dough hook on low till a dough varieties, about 2 minutes. Add the softened butter, enhance to medium pace, and knead for 14 minutes till the dough is easy and stretchy. Pull a small piece with each arms to verify. It ought to stretch into a skinny, translucent sheet.
6. Let the dough rise: Form the dough into a decent ball, place it again within the bowl, and canopy loosely with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a heat spot till doubled in dimension, about 1 hour.
7. Form the buns: Punch the dough all the way down to launch the air. Divide it into 16 even items (about 62 to 63 g every) and roll every right into a easy ball. Place them on a lined baking sheet with 2 inches of area between each.
8. Let the buns rise: Cowl loosely and allow them to rise for an additional 30 to 45 minutes till doubled.
9. Put together the topping: Whereas the buns rise, slice the chilled topping log into 16 even items.
10. Rolling: I roll every bit between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into a skinny disk, about 2.5 inches extensive.
11. Egg wash: Make the egg wash by whisking the yolks, milk, and sugar collectively, then chill it within the fridge.
12. Assemble and bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Place a topping disk on every risen bun. Brush with egg wash, let it dry barely, then brush once more for a second coat.
13. Cook dinner: Bake for 15 to 17 minutes till the tops are deep golden and the bottoms are frivolously browned.
14. Serve: Let the buns relaxation within the pan for five minutes, then switch to a cooling rack.
Ideas I Advocate to Comply with
Measure in grams: Though I’ve listed cups measurement, I extremely advocate utilizing grams if potential, which is rather more exact and garantee a greater consequence.
Use a stand mixer for the bread dough: Kneading by hand takes for much longer and it’s tougher to develop the gluten correctly. A stand mixer with a dough hook makes the 14 minute knead easy particularly when you have got a toddler and a busy schedule like me.
Examine the dough with the windowpane take a look at: After kneading, pull a small piece of dough with each arms. If it stretches into a skinny sheet you possibly can nearly see by way of with out tearing, the gluten is absolutely developed and the dough is prepared.
Chill the topping within the fridge, not the freezer: The fridge retains the dough agency sufficient to slice however nonetheless pliable sufficient to roll flat. If it will get too laborious, let it sit on the counter for 10 to fifteen minutes earlier than reducing.
Brush the egg wash twice: One coat provides a pale end. Two coats with a brief dry time in between create a bakery type sheen.
Serving Ideas
I like consuming these straight out of the oven by themselves as a result of they truthfully don’t want a factor. However the basic Hong Kong means is to separate the bun open whereas it’s nonetheless scorching and slide a chilly slab of butter inside. The butter melts into the nice and cozy bread and it’s unimaginable. On weekends I put together just a few with jam for my son, and he tears by way of them. Typically I stuff them with leftover char siu for a savory twist that tastes similar to those I had in Hong Kong.
Once I make these for associates, I bake the total batch and place them on a board with butter, jam, and a few char siu bao on the facet for a dim sum brunch. When you like this recipe, you may also like my steamed custard buns and milk bread rolls too. I at all times inform individuals to eat them whereas they’re heat, that’s when the topping is at its greatest.
Ceaselessly Ask Questions
What’s one of the best ways to roll the topping with out it falling aside?
I roll every bit between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, which retains it from sticking and offers me extra management. The dough is of course crumbly, so some splitting on the edges is regular and truly helps create the distinctive look. If it breaks an excessive amount of, I simply press it flat with my fingers as a substitute.
Can I make the topping dough the evening earlier than?
Sure, and I truly advocate it. The topping rolls out extra cleanly when it has been properly chilled in a single day. Simply maintain it wrapped tightly within the fridge. I don’t advocate making the bread dough forward as a result of in a single day rising can result in over proofing and alter the feel.
How do I retailer leftover pineapple buns?
I maintain them at room temperature in an hermetic container for as much as 2 days. For longer storage, I put them in a ziplock bag, press out the surplus air, and freeze for as much as a month. I by no means refrigerate bread as a result of it dries it out. To reheat from frozen, I bake them at 350°F (176°C) with out thawing for about 10 minutes.
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I like how this pineapple buns recipe provides me mild pillowy bread with a buttery cookie crust that cracks right into a golden sample. This basic Hong Kong bakery snack makes use of pantry staples like flour, butter, and sugar to create the crunchiest topping over the softest dough.
Stop your display from going darkish
Make the bread topping dough
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Warmth the butter within the microwave till it melts fully. As soon as the melted butter is barely cooled, add the milk, egg yolk, vanila, and sugar. Combine with a spatula till easy.
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Mix the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in one other medium-sized bowl. Stir to combine just a few occasions, then switch it to the bowl with the moist elements.
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Combine with a spoon or fork till a dough varieties. The dough ought to be very crumbly. Use your hand to press the crumbs collectively till a thick dough log is fashioned (see image within the weblog put up).
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Switch the dough onto a big piece of plastic wrap and wrap the dough. Proceed shaping the dough as soon as wrapped, so it varieties a thick cylindrical log, about 2” (5 cm) in diameter.
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Switch the dough to the fridge till prepared to make use of.
Make the bread dough
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Add the milk right into a small bowl and heat it to roughly 100-110°F (38°C), about 30 seconds within the microwave. The milk ought to be heat, only a bit above physique temperature. Pour it into the KitchenAid mixing bowl. Add the sugar and yeast. Stir it barely and let it sit for five minutes to activate the yeast. You’ll be able to inform the yeast has activated when there are bubbles forming within the liquid and a powerful yeasty scent.
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Add the heavy cream, egg, bread flour, all-purpose flour, and salt into the bowl (add the salt on the finish to forestall it from instantly touching the yeast).
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Set up the dough hook in your KitchenAid. Combine at setting 2, till a dough varieties, about 2 minutes.
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Flip off the mixer. Add the butter to the dough. Use a spatula to smear the butter into the dough to forestall it from splashing. Flip the mixer to setting 6. Knead for an additional 14 minutes, till the dough is easy and stretchable. Throughout mixing, flip off the mixer and scrape the edges as wanted to ensure all of the butter is included. Check the dough by pulling a bit of it utilizing each of your arms. It ought to stretch into a really skinny and translucent sheet.
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Type the dough into a decent ball by pulling its sides to the underside, then place again within the mixing bowl. Cowl the highest of the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and place it in a heat and humid a part of your own home. Enable to rise till it double in dimension, about 1 hour.
Form the bread dough
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Line a big baking sheet with parchment paper.
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As soon as the dough is rested, punch the dough softly to push the air out. Place the dough onto an unfloured working floor and knead it just a few occasions. Use a bench scraper or a knife to chop the dough in half, then halve it once more into 4 items, and lower every bit into 4 even items, so that you get 16 items in whole. For a extra correct consequence, you possibly can weigh the dough so every bit is 62 to 63 g (2.1 to 2.2 oz).
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Loosely cowl all of the dough items with plastic wrap and work on the dough items one after the other.
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Pinch the ends of a dough ball into its backside and place the pinched facet down. Place your hand over the ball, forming a cage together with your fingers and dealing the ball in a round movement, making use of mild stress with all your fingers, till the ball is properly rounded.
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Place the dough ball onto the lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remainder of the dough balls. Be certain there may be 2” (5 cm) of area between every ball. Cowl the dough balls with plastic wrap when you type the remaining, to forestall the dough from drying out.
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As soon as performed, make certain the entire tray is loosely lined with plastic wrap. Place it in a heat and humid place. Let it rise for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, till the dimensions doubles once more.
Egg wash
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Make the egg wash by combining the yolk, milk, and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk collectively till the whole lot is mixed.
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Cowl with plastic and place within the fridge. Chilling the egg wash will make it barely thicker so it should stick higher when brushed on the dough.
Form the topping
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As soon as the topping is chilled, unwrap it. Use a knife to slice off the uneven ends and discard them. Carve marks on the dough so you possibly can slice the log into 16 even items (see the weblog put up for educational photos). Then slice the dough accordingly. If the dough is simply too laborious to slice, relaxation it on the kitchen counter for 10 to fifteen minutes to let it soften earlier than reducing.
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Place every bit between two items of plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough with out cracking it, till it varieties a spherical disk that’s about 2.5” (6 cm) in diameter and 1/4” (5 mm) thick. The dough might be very crumbly and the ends would possibly crack a bit (it’s completely OK!). When you discover the dough too troublesome to roll out with out cracking, you should use your hand to frivolously flatten it as a substitute of rolling it. (*Footnote 1)
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Place the rolled/pressed topping disks onto a big sheet of plastic wrap utilizing a skinny spatula (you may as well stack them collectively by inserting plastic wrap or parchment paper between every bit of dough). Cowl with plastic wrap till you’re able to assemble the buns. (*Footnote 2)
Assemble and bake
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Preheat the oven to 350° F (176° C).
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As soon as the bread dough has risen once more, take away the plastic wrap. Gently place the topping dough disks onto the bread dough rolls.
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Brush all of the buns with egg wash. Enable the egg to dry barely. Then brush them once more for a second time to get the attractive yellow colour.
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Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, till the highest is golden yellow and the underside is barely browned.
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Let the buns relaxation within the pan for five minutes, then switch them onto a cooling rack.
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Serve heat or at room temperature.
Ingredient Substitution Information
- The topping dough might be very crumbly. We’ve tried each rolling the dough and urgent the dough, and located that the rolling methodology generates a barely higher consequence. The topping will cowl the bread higher and the buns will look higher. Then again, urgent the dough is far simpler and the result’s simply as tasty. Though, the topping might be barely small and gained’t cowl the bread absolutely in that case.
- In case your bread has risen when you have been engaged on the toppings, you possibly can place the topping instantly onto the bread rolls.
Serving: 1bun, Energy: 240kcal, Carbohydrates: 32.1g, Protein: 4g, Fats: 11g, Saturated Fats: 6.5g, Ldl cholesterol: 81mg, Sodium: 213mg, Potassium: 74mg, Fiber: 0.6g, Sugar: 13.9g, Calcium: 37mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?
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Lilja Walter is part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook workforce and labored carefully with Maggie to develop and take a look at this recipe.
