If your New Year's resolution is to start baking more, try these delicious pineapple buns! Anyone knows that pineapple buns—bolo bao in Mandarin—are THE go-to order at a Chinese bakery. Okay, there are a lot of delicious things to get at a Chinese bakery, but these are definitely up there!
These not only have a sweet crust, but they also have an amazingly soft interior thanks to the tangzhong method. Using this Japanese method ensures that you get the fluffiest milk bread ever. While you can eat these once they've cooled down slightly, I think storing them in a sealed container overnight at room temperature leads to an even softer bread, so bake these at night for the perfect breakfast the next day!
Fun fact: Pineapple buns do not contain any pineapple, although some are stuffed with custard, taro, or red bean paste. Their name comes from the crust, which looks like the exterior of a pineapple!
Makes 6 large pineapple buns
Ingredients
Tangzhong:
42 g (3 tbsp) water
42 g (3 tbsp) whole milk
14 g (2 tbsp) bread flour
Bread Dough:
320 g (2 2/3 cups) bread flour + more, if needed and for dusting
15 g (2 tbsp) dry milk
50 g (1/4 cup) sugar
5 g (1 tsp) salt
7 g (3/4 tbsp) instant yeast
1 large egg
57 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
57 g (1/4 cup) whole milk
57 g (1/4 cup) water
Topping Dough:
23 g (1 2/3 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
25 g (1 3/4 tbsp) whole milk
1 egg yolk
85 g (3/4 cup) cake flour
40 g (1/3 cup) confectioners' sugar
15 g (2 tbsp) dry milk
3 g (3/4 tsp) baking powder
Egg Wash:
1 egg yolk, beaten
Instructions
Make the Tangzhong:
In a saucepan, whisk all of the tangzhong ingredients over low heat until the mixture thickens, about 2 to 4 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Make the Bread Dough:
In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dough ingredients with the tangzhong. Use a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment or use your hands to knead until a sticky, soft dough forms. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky to work with.
Shape into a ball, cover, and let rest for 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. The dough will increase in size, but not necessarily double.
After letting it proof, de-gas the dough and tip it out onto a floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes, then divide into 6 equal pieces (or 8, see notes) and shape each piece into a round ball. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, at least 2" apart from each other.
Cover with a towel and let rest for 40 to 50 minutes at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Make the Topping Dough:
In a bowl, add the softened unsalted butter, milk, and egg yolk. Mix until well combined, then add the cake flour, confectioners' sugar, dry milk powder, and baking powder. Knead until a soft dough forms.
Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature until ready to assemble.
Assemble & Bake:
Divide the topping dough into 6 equal pieces. Cut out a 6" square of parchment paper.
Take a piece of topping dough and place it on a parchment paper. Roll it into a 4" circle. Place the circle on top of one of the buns, peeling off the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest.
Take a knife to gently score the top of each bun with a diamond-shaped pineapple pattern. Then, brush the tops with egg yolk and bake for about 18 to 22 minutes, until the buns are golden brown.
Notes:
These make 6 large buns that are about 4" in diameter. If you'd like smaller buns, you can divide them into 8 pieces. Just make sure to divide the topping dough into 8 as well and bake for a shorter time.
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