Coconut Buns

Every time I shopped at our local Chinese grocery store the one thing I always purchased was Coconut Buns. Although I loved the bread the filling didn’t quite satisfy me. It was too less. So I decided to make my own. After several failed attempts here is the recipe. It has a good amount of filling and the bread is light and fluffy.

Serves : 12 buns

INGREDIENTS

FLOUR PASTE

⅓ cup bread flour
1 cup water

DOUGH

4 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
2 large eggs
⅓ cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup cold milk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 cup), softened (113 grams)

COCONUT FILLING

1 cup sugar
½ cup cake flour
½ cup dry milk powder (30g)
2 cups desiccated coconut (80g)
½ tsp salt
8 tablespoons butter(113 grams, melted)

TOPPING

1/4 cup bread flour
3 tablespoons butter (43g, melted)
1½ tablespoon sugar (20gms)
egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water)
½ tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon honey + 1 tablespoon hot water (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE FLOUR PASTE: Whisk water and flour together until the flour dissolves. Microwave, mixing every 20 seconds, until mixture thickens to a smooth pudding-like consistency about 80 to 90 seconds.
FOR THE DOUGH: Add flour, yeast, egg, sugar, salt and milk to the stand mixer bowl. Transfer the flour paste to the stand mixer bowl. Fit the stand mixer with a dough hook and mix on low speed until combined about 1 – 2 minutes. Increase it to medium speed for 4 minutes.
Add softened butter and continue to mix on medium speed, for 8 – 10 minutes. The dough will be sticky.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled in volume, about 90 minutes to 2 hours.
FOR THE FILLING: Combine sugar, cake flour, dry milk powder, desiccated coconut and salt. Add melted butter and mx well.
DIVIDING THE DOUGH: Line 13 x 9 inch rectangle tray with aluminum foil. Spray it with vegetable oil spray.
Dust the counter lightly with flour and deflate the dough. The dough will be sticky so keep flouring your hands. Pat and stretch the dough to form an 18 by 9-inch rectangle. Cut the dough lengthwise into 3 equal strips (3 inches wide). Cut the dough breadthwise into 4 equal strips.
SHAPING INTO ROLLS: Working with 1 cut piece at a time, stretch the dough to form a 6 by 3-inch strip. Place 1/4 cup (tightly packed) of the filling at the bottom of each strip. Starting from the filling side, roll the strip to form a tight cylinder. Place the rolls seam-side down in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled, 90 minutes to 2 hours.
FOR THE TOPPING: Mix together cake flour, melted butter, and sugar. Transfer to a piping bag with a small corner cut off. Set aside.
Once the buns have risen, brush them with egg wash. Pipe two stripes of your topping mixture onto each bun, and sprinkle each with sesame seeds.
BAKING THE ROLLS: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat to 370 degrees. Bake rolls for 20 to 22 minutes until they are deep golden brown. Brush with honey (optional). Let rolls cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes