Baked Filled Buns

Name: Baked Filled Buns
Yield: makes 32 small or 16 medium buns
Ingredients: 10 tablespoons whole milk; 4 tablespoons butter or canola oil; 2 teaspoons rapid-rise (instant) dry yeast; 2 1/2 tablespoons lukewarm water; 1 large egg; 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar; 12 1/2 ounces (2 1/2 cups) bleached or unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more as needed; 1 1/3 cups Char Siu Pork Bun Filling (page 100), Vegetable and Tofu Bun Filling (page 101), or Curried Chicken Bun Filling (page 102) for savory buns or 1 1/3 cups Sweetened Red Bean Paste (page 203) or Sweetened Mung Bean Paste (page 204) for sweet buns; 1 large egg, lightly beaten; 2 tablespoons honey mixed with 1 tablespoon warm water

December 9, 2011

Baked buns, called guk bau in Cantonese, are a wonderful southern Chinese creation. They can be filled with a whole host of things, including sweet bean pastes and savory preserved pork shreds. Some have a crumbly crust that’s akin to coffee cake topping. My favorite renditions are slightly shiny and sticky from having been brushed with a lightly sweet honey glaze. Whatever the filling inside, whether it is spicy chicken curry, roast pork, vegetables, or bean pastes, you can’t lose. Commercially produced Chinese baked buns are nearly cloying and super soft, whereas these have a delicate flavor and texture resembling that of challah.

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