This is a simple milk bread recipe that can be converted into many delicious Asian Bakery-style buns!

Pictured here are Red Bean Bun, Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread, and Bolo Bao with butter (Chinese Pineapple Buns).

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Basic Bread Dough

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• 6 tablespoons water (85g)

• 2 tablespoons bread flour (15g)
   

• 1/2 cup whole milk (113g) + 1 Tbsp dry milk powder (4g) - 105°F

• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dried yeast (5g)

• 2 1/2 cups (320g) bread flour

• 1/4 cup sugar (50g)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt (2g)

• 1 egg + 1 egg white

• Tangzhong 

• 3 tablespoons softened butter (42g)

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1. Make the tangzhong by mixing together the first water and flour in a saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until thickened to a paste. Set aside to cool to room temperature

2. Mix milk, milk powder, dried yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Let sit for five minutes. Add eggs, flour, and salt and mix into a rough dough. Add cooled tangzhong and softened butter and knead together until a smooth ball forms (can use a stand mixer with a dough hook)

3. Let sit in a warm place, in a greased bowl and covered, for 60 minutes or until doubled in size. (Can also refrigerate overnight for time constraints)

4. Divide into 8 equal-sized balls. Roll into balls if not filling.

   • For filled buns: flatten each dough ball and fill with desired filling (bean paste, meat, custard, etc.). Pinch dough closed.

5. Place buns on a baking tray seam-side-down. Lightly cover and proof again until puffy and dough bounces back halfway when poked.

6. Bake in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 190°F.

7. Cool completely.

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Korean Cream Cheese Bread

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• 1 recipe bread dough

• 200 g cream cheese, softened

• 30 g sugar

• 50 g heavy cream

• 130 g unsalted butter, melted

• 30 g condensed milk

• 1 egg

• 20 g honey

• For garlic butter sauce: 50 g minced garlic + 3 g minced parsley flakes

• For sweet butter sauce: 1 earl grey teabag (leaves inside) + chocolate

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1. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet. Cover and let rise 45-60 minutes, or until an indentation made with your finger springs back halfway.

2. Bake in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 190°F. Let cool completely.

3. Filling: While buns are baking, cream together cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in heavy cream until fully combined.

4. Butter sauce: Combine melted butter, condensed milk, egg, honey, and savory/sweet sauce ingredients.

5. Once buns are completely cooled, cut the bread into 6 wedges (but do not cut through completely).

6. Fill a piping bag with the cream cheese filling. Pipe filling in the spaces in between the wedges.

7. Use a pastry brush or dip the buns completely in the butter sauce.

8. Bake in a 320°F oven for 10 minutes, or until sauce is set.

9. Enjoy warm or at room temp.

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Bolo Bao (Chinese Pineapple Bun)
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• 1 recipe bread dough
   

• 55 g unsalted butter, softened

• 60 g granulated sugar

• 25 g egg, beaten

• 1/4 tsp. lye water (food-grade)

• 105 g cake flour (all-purpose is fine too)

• 1/4 tsp. baking soda

• 1/8 tsp. baking powder

• 1 Tbsp milk (might not need)

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1. Grease a large muffin tin or small cake molds. Fill each mold with a ball of dough. Cover and let rise 45-60 minutes, or until an indentation made with your finger springs back halfway.

2. While the buns are proofing, make the pineapple bun topping: cream together the butter and sugar.

3. Mix in the egg and lye water until fully combined.

4. Sift the dry ingredients together, and mix into the butter mixture just until combined. If the dough is too stiff, add some of the milk until comes together like cookie dough.

5. Wrap dough into a square with plastic wrap. Set cookie dough in a freezer for 1 hour.

6. Remove cookie dough from freezer and roll to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into circles large enough to cover your buns. Place one topping on each proofed bun

7. Preheat oven to 375°F.

8. Egg wash the tops of the proofed bolo bao, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until completely golden brown and internal temperature reaches 190°F.  (This depends on the size of your molds and buns) 

9. Transfer to a wire rack to let cool completely

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BONUS RECIPE: Black Sesame Rolls (9 pieces)

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• 1 recipe bread dough
   

• Black sesame paste or powder

• Granulated sugar

• Melted butter
   

• Powdered sugar, matcha powder, melted butter, and milk for glaze

  • Can add cream cheese for a tangy flavor

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1. Instead of dividing the dough into 8 balls, roll the entire dough into a large square, about 12x12-inches. Spread surface with melted butter, then sprinkle sugar and black sesame powder (or spread a layer of black sesame paste mixed with sugar), leaving a one-inch edge empty.

2. Roll the dough into a tight swirl, and pinch the seam closed at the empty edge. Cut into 9 equal-sized pieces.

3. Place rolls (cut side up) in a greased 8x8 or 9x9 square baking pan. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

4. Meanwhile, whisk together glaze ingredients. Add more milk if you want a thinner glaze to drizzle over the tops, or omit if you want something thick and spreadable.

5. Bake proofed buns in a 350°F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until internal temperature in the center bun is 190°F. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

6. Spread or drizzle matcha glaze on top and enjoy!