Something that I miss about living in Mexico are Chinese Bakeries.  There is something so different about chinese breads and pastries that you just don’t find it anywhere else.  That is, until I discovered this recipe for making that oh so familiar buttery, light and fluffy tasting bread.  I’ve been using this recipe for several months now, making plain butter buns, char-siew (BBQ pork) filled buns, and cocktail (coconut) buns.  They’ve all turned out exceptionally well and that’s just another thing I don’t have to miss about Toronto.

The secret to these bread, is the use of a water based roux, specifically, a 65 degrees celcius roux.  I like to use my KitchenAid Stand Mixer since it saves me time and is quite easy.

Chinese Bakery Style Buns

Roux:

25 grams all purpose flour

125 ml water

Cook the flour and water in a pan on the stove, stirring constantly until 65 degrees is reached.  Most people will not have a thermometer, so, it will be approximately 65 degrees when the mixture comes together and starts to look like paste.  I will post a picture the next time I make these.  Set aside to cool.

Dough:

375 gr bread flour

100 gr all purpose flour

50 gr sugar

3/4 tsp salt

2 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast (1 package)

1 egg lightly beaten

150 ml lukewarm milk

40 gr butter cubed,room temperature

  1. Put both flours, sugar, salt and yeast in a mixing bowl.  Stir to blend all ingredients.
  2. Add water roux and egg.  Stir until well mixed, about 15 seconds.
  3. Add in the milk and knead on speed 2 for about 2 minutes.  The dough may be slightly sticky and this is normal, if you find it too sticky, add a little bit more flour.  You may also have to adjust the liquid to get the right consistency.  I find that for me, where I am living, the 150 ml works well.
  4. Add the butter and knead on speed 2 until the butter is fully incorporated into the dough.  This may take from 1 to 3 minutes depending on how hard or soft your butter is.  Its ready when its no longer wet or shiny from the butter.
  5. Place in a buttered bowl, until it doubles in size.
  6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  7. Divide the dough 12 pieces and gently roll each piece with the palm of your hand on the table until a ball forms.  Place the balls onto a baking sheet or rectangular baking dish.  Cover and let rise again, for about 1/2 hr.
  8. This is optional, you can make an egg wash to brush on top of the buns prior to putting them in the oven to get a nice golden shine.
  9. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, the timing varies for everyone’s oven.  The bread is done when it make a hollow sound when you tap on it gently.
  10. Let cool on a cooling rack.

These buns freeze well and will reheat nicely in the microwave.

I like to eat these slightly warm, sliced in half with a couple of big smears of butter, just like the way they serve them in the coffee shops in Hong Kong.  At least, this is what I remember from my childhood.

As as aside, Elise of Simply Recipes posted a great baking tip today, “How to Soften Butter Quickly”.  If you’re like me, taking the butter out to soften is not something I always remember until the last minute!