Plain but flavourful, this delicacy is much favoured by many Asians within the region – a common breed found in many neighbourhood bakeries and supermarkets. Here’s my very own version of the heartland favourite – golden little buns sprinkled with copious servings of cheddar cheese!
Ingredients:
- Bread flour: 600g
- Milk powder: 100g
- Bread improver: 8g
- Instant dry yeast: 4g
- Sugar: 70g
- Salt: 9g
- Water: 300g
- Butter: 40g, softened
- Egg: 1, beaten
- Fresh cheddar cheese: 10g, grated
Method:
- Mix dry ingredients together for 1 min.
- Add water and mix for 5 min.
- Add butter and knead for 10 min till dough is fully developed.
- Round up dough and place in airtight container to rise in a warm place for 1 hr.
- Divide dough into 100g pieces (about 32 pieces). Leave for 10 min.
- Roll out 4 pieces of dough into 20-cm long strips.
- Weave strips to form a braid (strip 2 over strip 3, strip 4 over strip 2, strip 1 over strip 3).
- Prove braids in warm place for 1 hr.
- Preheat oven at 170 degrees.
- Brush egg over surface. Grate cheese over braids.
- Bake for 15 min. Remove and leave to cool for 15min before serving.
Trick:
- For small portable ovens (like mine), consider baking the buns for 5 mins first before brushing them with egg wash and sprinkling grated cheese onto them. Return them to the oven to complete the baking. This prevents the surface from getting charred yet allows the inside of the bun sufficient time to develop fully.
Disclaimer:
- The original recipe employed much less flour and milk powder than what I have stated above. This was the case in the previous bread making attempt as well. I’m not sure if it has got anything to do with the differences in equipment used or if it has got anything to do with my kitchen weighing scale being inaccurate. Nevertheless, the adjustments turned out well enough, with tasty and springy enough buns to chew on. 🙂
Serving:
8 medium-sized buns
