For the water roux
25 g bread flour
125 g water
Rest of the dough:
540 g bread flour
86 g sugar
8 g salt
11 g Instant yeast
86 g whole eggs
59 g whipping cream
63 g milk
144 g water roux (made from above ingredients)
49 g softened butter
Other:
1 egg (for egg wash)
Step Prepare the Roux
Weigh
out the flour and water for the roux and mix well in a small saucepan.
Cook over low to medium heat and use a whisk to stir continuously until
it reaches 65 °C. If you do not have a probe thermometer, just keep
stirring until you notice that the whisk cuts through the thickened
paste and exposes the bottom on the pan, leaving a trail behind.
Alternatively, cook the mixture until it thickens and continue to cook
for one additional minute. Remove it from the heat and allow to cool to
room temp.
You can make the roux ahead of time and store it in the fridge for a
day. However, if the roux turns grey in the fridge, chuck it and make a
fresh batch!
In
the large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, sugar, salt, and
instant yeast. (If you are not using dry active yeast instead of
instant, let it dissolve in the milk and add it to the dough with the
liquids). Then add the eggs, whipping cream, and milk. Stir it with your
wooden spoon until combined.
Retrieve your roux and add it to the ball along with the softened
butter. Continue to mix. Stirring with the wooden spoon will become
futile soon, so just dunk your hands in and work the dough together.
Once it has formed a cohesive mass, turn it out onto a lightly floured
surface (you shouldn’t need much flour since the butter will lubricate
the surface and prevent stickage) and knead until the dough is smooth
and elastic. The kneading process forms gluten, which for various
reasons, is responsible for the unique texture of bread.
It usually takes me around 12 to 15 minutes to complete the kneading. If
you own some sort of kneading device, mix in everything in the same
order and knead for 10 min or until smooth and elastic.
Form
the dough into a tight ball and place it
seam down in a lightly oiled proofing container which you have weighed
ahead of time! Take note of the total weight with the dough and then
cover it with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap. Place the whole thing in
a warm place. While it proofs, calculate the weight of your dough.
Let the dough rise until doubled in size. This takes about an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the ambient temperature.
After
the dough has doubled in size, carefully remove the cover and with the
dough still in the proofing container, punch it down with your knuckles.
Then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and gently press out
any air bubbles. This will produce a more even texture and help to
redistribute some of the sugars for the yeast to chow on.
Knowing the total weight of the dough, you can now decide how many buns
you want to make and divide accordingly. I usually get about 15 dinner
roll-sized buns. Dividing the dough equally by weight is important for
ensuring uniform baking.
Shape the pieces into round rolls, braids, or any other desired shape. See Step 8 for shaping ideas and tips.
Transfer the shaped dough pieces to either a lightly greased or
parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Lightly cover the whole thing with a
tea towel or plastic sheet. (I like to butterfly a plastic fruit/veggie
bag from the grocery store and use that). Place everything in a warm
place and let it rise until doubled (about 45 min, depending on the
ambient temperature). Start preheating your oven to 350 °F in the
meantime.
Gently
peel off the towel/plastic sheet. The buns should have now doubled in
size and are ready for baking. Traditionally, Chinese buns are brushed
with an egg wash to get that nice glossy look, so beat an egg and apply
with a pastry brush. Additionally, you may sprinkle on some sesame seeds
after your have applied the egg wash.
Finally, place the baking sheet into the preheated oven and leave it
there for 15-20 minutes (this may vary depending on your oven). The
rolls will expand a bit more in the oven and take on a deep caramel
colour. Remove the buns from the oven and cool on a cooling rack for at
least 5 minutes before consumption.
If you’re not eating them right away, let them come all the way down to
room temperature and place in an air-tight container. They will only
keep for a couple days, after which, moistness and softness will become
less than optimal.
