Pineapple buns

The world has been in a war for the last 6 months against a new coronavirus, or COVID-19, that has changed life for billions of people. When the virus first hit Wuhan, China at the start of the year, few thought it would turn into a global outbreak – even Greenland has had 13 cases (Antarctica is the only continent that’s been free from the virus). In the US, over 2.3 million people have been infected with the virus and over 120k people have died. These are heartbreaking figures, and health experts expect the numbers to rise even more.
The country has been in lockdown fighting the virus since March. Shops and restaurants are all closed, and you have to wear face masks in many places. I left NYC (once the epicenter of the virus) back in March as soon as my company implemented a remote work policy. I’ve been living in the Philly suburbs with my parents and younger sister for the last 3 months. I have to say, I did not expect to be back home for so long ever, but it’s been a blessing to have the space here, as well as home cooked meals for lunch and dinner every day.

One direct effect of the virus is that everyone is cooking more at home. Relatedly, people have been baking a lot – there was a flour and yeast shortage in many areas around the country back in April, because everyone was making sourdough from scratch (I did it too and newsflash, it’s not worth the hassle). I’ve also been baking more during quarantine, now that I have four people (and one hungry dog always looking for fallen scraps) to eat my baked goods. With a bit more time on my hands on the weekends, because there’s really not much to do now, I wanted to try making something a bit more time intensive and was inspired to make pineapple buns after seeing a friend’s post on Instagram. Pineapple buns are a rare treat for me, because I don’t go to Chinese bakeries very often, and now I might visit even less frequently since I know I can make sweet, flaky, puffy pineapple buns at home.

Prep time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Bake time: 13-15 minutes
Servings: 12

INGREDIENTS

Tangzhong (roux starter)

• 1/6 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup water

Milk bread dough

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• Tangzhong

Filling

• 3/4 cup red bean paste

Topping dough

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Egg wash

• 1 egg yolk

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make the tangzhong, whisk the flour with water until smooth. Cook over medium low heat in a saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon, until thick and leaves a trail. Pour into a bowl and put a piece of plastic wrap on top. Make sure it’s pressed against the surface of the tangzhong and let cool.
2. To make the milk bread dough, heat the milk for 20 seconds in the microwave until lukewarm. Add in the yeast and proof for 5-10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, sift in flour, salt, and sugar. Add in the yeast / milk mixture, tangzhong, and beaten egg. Mix well with a fork first then use your hands. Add in chunks of butter until smooth. Knead the dough for about 15 minutes, until it’s elastic and smooth. Put the dough into a greased bowl and cover with a towel. Let it rise until doubled in size, around 1-2 hours or chill in the refrigerator overnight.
4. Once the dough is doubled in size, punch down the dough to release excess air. Turn the dough onto a work surface and divide into 12 equal portions. Knead each piece slightly then shape into a flat circle. Put in 1 tablespoon of red bean filling and pinch the sides together and shape into a ball. Put onto a floured surface with the pinched side facing down. Flatten slightly by pressing down with the palm of your hand. Let the dough sit for 30-45 minutes, or until 1.5x in size.
5. To make the dough topping, cream the butter in a medium bowl with a fork until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and cream for another minute. Add in the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla, and mix well. Add in the flour and baking powder and mix until the dough comes together (you may want to use your hands). Put the dough to the side at room temperature until the buns are done proofing.
6. Preheat the oven to 365 degrees F.
7. Once the buns are done proofing, divide the dough topping into 12 equal pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece into a circle that will cover the buns, leaving a half inch uncovered from the bottom. Put the dough topping on top of the buns and press down gently. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (I did 6 per tray – these buns expand a lot in the oven). Brush the tops with the egg yolk.
8. Bake the buns at 365 degrees F for 13 to 15 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden. Enjoy while still warm!