Asian Style Coconut Bun

If you love coconut like yours truly and love the fluffy texture of bread from the Asian bakery, this is a must try. Whoever thought of the idea to placed the filing in the bread prior to baking is a genius. Short of deserving a Nobel for the great invention, I love the portability of these breads, starch, protein, fiber...everything you need for a meal in a bun.

Now, I can't take credit for creating these lovely puppies, after all, they are widely available in every Asian bakeries in Chinatown. I would love to think that these are some sort of a mother's dream come true. A concoction you can make during the weekend and just pop them in the little kids' lunch boxes. My husband refers to them as bread pouches, as it holds the filing in the center. When done right, these bread can be a surprisingly good staple in lunch boxes all across the country. Why waste your money stopping for a sandwich at lunch time when you can easily make these at home over the weekend and have them stored in the fridge for the hectic weekdays. A minute in the microwave is all it takes to give these bread a hot off the oven taste.

Personally, I love sweet filing in the bread for breakfast and a savory one for lunch.

Asian-Style Coconut Bun

(Adapted from Angie's recipe - The bread baker extraordinaire on the blog, seriously!)

http://schneiderchen.de/398Cocktail-Buns.html

Ingredients:

Dough:
a:

285 g Bread flour,

42 g Sugar,

½ tsp Salt,

6 g Dry active yeast/1 tsp instant yeast

b:

30 g Egg,(1/2 an egg)

85 ml Warm milk,

84 g Tangzhong starter/Water roux

c:

22 g Butter

Filling:
60 g Butter,

30 g Vanilla pudding powder (or milk powder or custard powder),

3 tbsp Sugar,

20 g Coconut shreds

Topping:
30 g Shortening,

20 g Butter,

40 g /confectioner's/Icing sugar,

40 g Cake flour,

½ pc Egg,

¼ tsp Salt,

Method:

Add dough ingredients (a) and (b) in a mixing bowl. Mix with dough hook at slow speed for 1 minute. Change to the medium speed, and continue to mix on slow speed for 3 minutes on medium speed until a dough is form. Add (c) butter gradually and mix for approx. 5 minutes on medium speed until gluten is fully developed, i. e. elastic, smooth, non-sticky and leave from sides of mixing bowl.

If you are old-fashioned like me and enjoy your bread kneading workout, combined (a) and (b) in a large bowl. Mix till dough is formed. Placed it on a lightly floured surface and work (c) gradually into dough while kneading. Continue kneading till dough is elastic and smooth, approximately 10 minutes.

Leave dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp clean kitchen towel. Placed in a warm place until dough is double in volume, roughly 1 hour. Proofing time may be longer, depending on the weather. If dough did not double in volume, extend proofing time.

Note: I like to turn the oven on at 170F for 2 minutes. Turn off the oven. It should be barely warm. Make sure dough is fully covered by damp towel. Placed bowl inside oven and close the door. This helps with proofing the dough during winter months.

Once it has done proofing, punch dough down to release gas. Divide into 6. Shape into rounds and let rest for 10 minutes, covered with damp towel.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Beat butter and sugar of the filling ingredients until creamy, blend in pudding powder and coconut shreds.

Mix 2 kinds grease from the topping and then sift in the confectioner's/icing sugar. Combine well.

Gradually add in egg and salt. Beat until well-combined. Sift cake flour into the mixture. Blend.

Place the whole mixture in a pastry bag.

Press each portion into a round and place some stuffing in the middle of dough, seal the edge and shape each into the long shaped bun. Pipe topping onto bread roll.

Bake for about 15 minutes. Rotate the pan half way during baking time to brown evenly.