Chinese Milk Buns

Chinese Milk Buns are known for their distinct, milky taste and their soft, melt in your mouth texture. These soft dinner rolls are perfect with any kind of jam or spread but are delicious on their own.

 

Ingredients

For the Starter
3 tbsp water
3 tbsp whole milk
2 tbsp all purpose flour

For the Dough
2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp whole milk powder
1 tbsp instant yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted

 

Direction:

Step 1:   Making the starter.   In a small pot, stir together milk, water and flour until lump -free. Cook over low heat while stirring continuously until the mixture is thick like a paste. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool.

Step 2:     In a large mixing bowl, combine the tangzhong with all the dough ingredients. Use a big wooden spoon to incorporate all the ingredients together until dry ingredients are all moistened. Once the dough has gathered together into a shaggy mass, turn it over into a floured surface.

Knead the dough until it is smooth, elastic and soft. This should take about 15-20 minutes.

Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 60-90 minutes until puffy.

    

 

 

Step 3: Divide dough into 9 portions, shape each into a ball and place on a greased 9-inch baking pan. Cover the rolls and let rise again for 50 minutes.    Use a knife to make a cross on top of each roll. Brush the surface of the rolls with milk.   Shaft flour over the roll.   Preheat oven to 350 F and bake at 350 for  15-17 minutes, or until the tops are golden.

                                    

 

Serve warm. Leftovers can be stored in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 2 days.