Pineapple Buns

by Grace Tran

People yelling over each other in Cantonese, frenzied fingers pointing at carts passing by, and roast ducks on spits set the scene: a Sunday morning at my local dim sum restaurant. I never thought the chaotic environment would be something I took for granted, but when the pandemic forced dim sum restaurants to close, I found myself continuously longing for just one more visit, even willing to sit through the hour-long lines. I missed the anticipation of waiting for a table, the hurried stamps on my bill, and the reveal of plates of har gou, siu mai, and cheung fun under bamboo steamer lids.

But most of all, I missed my pineapple buns, and the warm sweet scent I never failed to miss wafting towards me from the incoming dim sum cart.

Ever since I was a child, pineapple buns or bo lo bao had been a staple in my diet and my restaurant orders. Even when I was filled to the brim with food, I would still take them to go for my breakfast the next morning. Whether plain, custard-filled, or steaming hot with a pat of butter in its middle, my family joked I could easily eat ten in one sitting. After one particularly stressful day of studying in quarantine, I found myself craving pineapple buns. It felt as if I hadn’t had one in years, though it had been a mere few months. On a whim, I looked up some recipes and to my surprise discovered that not only did I have all the ingredients to make my own, but the directions were quite simple. I didn’t have high hopes but after hours of kneading and kneading, I pulled the tray out of the oven to find that the buns looked exactly as I’d remembered, the topping golden-brown and cracked in just the right places.

Biting into the first soft bun, I felt transported back to my childhood, when I would get dim sum after a long orchestra rehearsal or as a treat on weekends.

For just a few moments, my troubles melted away. But even past that, I realized that the entire baking process had alleviated my stress. I was so focused on tasting the end result that I hadn’t had a moment to worry about anything else. It seems I’d stumbled upon the same realization of everyone making sourdough during quarantine. So for all of you who are missing Sunday dim sums at RPCC and want something to do with your day, I hope this recipe helps you get your fix!

Tip: While the pineapple bun is still hot, cut the bun open horizontally and slide in a pat of butter for a savory and meltin-your-mouth twist to this classic

For the topping: 4 tsp butter, melted 2 tsp milk 1 large egg yolk 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ - ⅔ cup sugar (can be adjusted to taste) 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda For the bun: ¾ cup milk ⅓ cup sugar 1 packet, or 7g, dry yeast ¾ cup heavy cream 1 large egg 2 cups bread flour 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp salt 3 ½ tbsp butter, softened

To make the egg wash: 1. Mix all ingredients well in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until use. To make the topping: 2. Melt the butter in a pan or microwave and wait for it to cool. In one bowl, mix it with the milk, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and sugar. 3. In a second bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. 4. Combine both bowls and mix until a “dough” forms. It may be very crumbly; if so, add one tablespoon of milk at a time until the topping becomes more cohesive. 5. Press the mixture together to resemble a long bar then cover with plastic wrap. The topping may be reshaped later on, so the shape does not matter as much at the moment. 6. Refrigerate until use. To make the buns: 7. Add milk, sugar, and yeast to a large bowl. Let the ingredients sit for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to activate. 8. Add heavy cream, egg, bread and all-purpose flours, and salt. 9. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl or your hands 10. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to sit for at least an hour. As you are waiting, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 11. When the dough has risen to approximately twice its original size, remove from the bowl and briefly knead once For the egg wash topping: 2 large egg yolks 2 tsp milk

½ tsp sugar 12. Divide the dough into equal pieces (around 15-20).

13. Form a ball with each piece. To prevent the dough from drying out, knead a few times before shaping. As you roll the dough, try to avoid cracks and keep the surface smooth.

14. Place each ball on the baking sheet, roughly apart from each other. If the sheet cannot hold every piece of dough, find another similar surface. Cover and let sit for an hour.

15. While you’re waiting for the second proofing, unwrap the topping and with a knife, cut it into the same number of pieces as the dough. The topping should be firm but slightly pliable. You can use your hands or a rolling pin to reshape each slice if needed.

To bake: 16. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

17. Place one slice of the topping on each ball of dough. Do not worry about fitting the topping to the dough - they will look slightly like mushrooms and that’s okay :)

18. Generously brush the egg wash onto the topping slice.

19. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Enjoy hot and fresh with a cup of milk tea, or cover and eat them reheated later!