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    Home » Bread » Chinese Pineapple Bun

    Chinese Pineapple Bun

    Published: Oct 2, 2021 Modified: Oct 3, 2021 by Tracy O.This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Pineapple bun or bo lo bao (菠蘿包) is a popular, classic and common bread among Hong Kong bakeries, just like coconut buns and Chinese hot dogs that most of people love it. This delicious authentic homemade Chinese pineapple bun or bo lo bao recipe is simple and easy with step by step photos and a video.

    Love bread? Check out these custard buns, Japanese milk bread rolls, cheese bread sticks, rosemary garlic bread, dinner rolls, sugar donuts and ciabatta recipes.

    Chinese pineapple buns or bo lo bao close up front

    What is pineapple bun (菠蘿包)?

    Pineapple bun is kind of sweet bun. Also, in Cantonese it is known as bo lo bao (菠蘿包) which means pineapple bread. In fact, pineapple bun doesn't contain any pineapple ingredients.

    Why do people call it pineapple buns?

    This is because the top of the bun is made of sugar cookie dough. When it bakes in an oven, the top cracks naturally and looks like pineapple skin. Therefore, people named them bo lo bao (菠蘿包) or pineapple bun even though it doesn't contain any pineapple ingredients.

    What are the ingredients for Chinese pineapple bun?

    In this bo lo bao or pineapple bun recipe, it has two main dough. One is the bread dough and the other is the topping dough.

    For the bread dough, the ingredients are milk, heavy whipping cream, sugar, yeast, egg, salt, bread flour, cake flour, dough enhancer and vital wheat gluten.

    bread dough ingredients for Chinese pineapple buns

    The ingredients for topping dough are all purpose flour, egg yolk, sugar, dry milk powder, butter, vanilla extract, milk, baking soda and baking powder.

    topping dough ingredients for Chinese pineapple buns

    Cooking tips for how to make Chinese pineapple buns or bo lo bao recipe:

    Bread dough:

    • Personally prefer to use a Bosch mixer to make bread because they mix the dough very well.
    • Remember to leave the milk and heavy cream at room temperature for 30 minutes or just warm up a little bit in the microwave for 15 seconds. This can help the yeast rise faster.
    • Add 1 & ½ cup bread flour first, then let the dough mix it together. If the dough is still sticky, add the rest of ¼ cup of bread flour slowly.
    • I added dough enhancer and vital wheat gluten, so the bread has a better texture.
    • To speed up the rising time. Normally, I preheat the oven to 200F. Then, turn off the oven and put the dough in for 30 minutes.

    Topping dough:

    • Put regular sugar and dry milk powder in a chopper and run it for a few seconds. Thus, it is smooth and fine.

    FAQs:

    When to eat pineapple buns?

    Most people in Hong Kong eat pineapple buns in the morning for breakfast or in the afternoon as a snack. It is best to eat pineapple bun when it is fresh, warm and straight out of the oven.

    What to do with leftovers bo lo bao?


    You can refrigerate pineapple bread and warm them up in a microwave for 10-20 seconds or toast it.

    How long can you refrigerate pineapple buns?


    Around a few days to a week in the refrigerator.

    Instructions for how to make Chinese pineapple bun or bo lo bao:

    Bread dough:

    milk and sugar in the mixer top view
    1. Pour ½ cup of warm milk, ½ cup of heavy whipping cream, and ¼ cup of sugar into the Bosch mixer. (Warm up the milk in the microwave for 15 seconds or leave it out at room temperature for 30 minutes before using it. Also, I used 2 % milk. You can use fat free or whole milk.)
    egg yeast and milk in the mixer top view

    2. After that, add 1 tablespoon of active dry yeast and 1 large egg into the Bosch mixer. ( I prefer to use a Bosch mixer.)

    yeast mixture in the mixer to view

    3. Turn on the lowest setting #1 and let it mix it a little bit and turn off the mixer. Then, wait for 5 minutes. (Don't run the mixer too long, just want to mix the ingredients.)

    bread flour with dough enhance and vital wheat gluten in the glass container

    4. In another container, put 1&½ cups of bread flour, ½ cup of cake, ½ tablespoon dough enhancer, ½ tablespoon of vital wheat gluten and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix it well.

    bread dough mixing in the mixer

    5. After, turn on the mixer at the lowest setting #1 and pour the flour mixture slowly into the yeast mixture. (Note: if the dough is sticky, add the rest of ¼ cup bread flour at a time until the dough comes together). Then, change the mixer from lowest setting to medium or high setting #3 and let it run for 10-15 minutes.

    bread dough in the silver bowl top view

    6. After 10-15 minutes, the dough is ready. Then, take the dough out in a bowl and cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it sit for 45 minutes. (My trick to speed up the rising time. Normally, I preheat the oven to 200F. Then, turn off the oven and put the dough in for 30 minutes.)

    Topping dough:

    milk powder in the chopper top view

    7. In the meanwhile, prepare the topping dough. Put ¼ cup of nonfat dry milk powder into the chopper.

    sugar in the chopper top view

    8. Then, add ¾ cup of sugar into the chopper. Let it run for a few seconds until it's smooth and fine.

    sugar milk powder egg and butter in the container top view

    9. In a container, put 1 & ¼ cups of all purpose flour, the chopped sugar and dry milk powder from step 7 and 8. Also, 1 large egg yolk, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, ¼ teaspoon of baking powder, ¼ cup of melted butter, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and 4 tablespoons of milk.

    topping dough mixed in the glass container

    10. Mix the ingredients well and keep kneading until the dough comes together. Set it aside and cover with a cloth.

    bread dough divide roughly into pieces

    11. When the dough rises, roughly divide the dough into 12 or 10 pieces depending how big the bun or bread you want. (I did it for 12 pieces.)

    bread dough rolls into balls and rise on the tray

    12. Next, roll the dough into balls and put on the parchment paper with oil spray on the tray. Cover it with a wet cloth and let it wait for 15 minutes.

    topping dough divided and roll into balls

    13. At the same time, roughly divide the topping dough from step 10 and roll it into a ball.

    topping dough cover with a plastic wrapper

    14. Take a topping dough and cover with plastic wrapper.

    press and flatten topping dough

    15. Press with your palm to flatten the topping dough.

    topping dough put on the bread dough on the tray

    16. The following step, put the topping dough on top of the bread dough from step 12.

    brushing egg on the topping dough with a red brush Chinese pineapple bun or bo lo bao

    17. Beat a large egg yolk or egg and brush the egg on top of the topping dough.

    Baking:

    brushed egg on Chinese pinepapple buns before baking

    18. Preheat the oven at 350F, bake at 350F for 18-22 minutes until it's golden brown.

    baked Chinese pineapple buns or bo lo bao on the tray close up

    Enjoy this delicious Hong Kong Chinese pineapple bun recipe! Also check out these beef broccoli, steamed pork patty and pad thai noodles recipes.

    You May Also Like These Recipes:

    • STRAWBERRY PIE
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    pineapple buns on the black rack top view

    Pineapple Buns (菠蘿包)

    Pineapple bun is a kind of sweet bun. Also, pineapple bread or bun is very popular and common among Hong Kong bakeries. Besides, in Cantonese it is known as bo lo bao which means pineapple bread.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Bread, Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
    Prep Time: 45 minutes
    Cook Time: 22 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 7 minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 298kcal
    Author: Tracy O.

    Video

    Ingredients

    BREAD DOUGH:

    • ½ cup Milk (I used 2 % at room temperature)
    • ½ cup Heavy whipping cream (At room temperature)
    • ¼ cup Sugar
    • 1 tablespoon Active dry yeast
    • 1 large Egg (At room temperature)
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • ½ tablespoon Dough enhancer
    • ½ tablespoon Vital wheat gluten
    • 1 & ¾ cups Bread flour total (Add 1 & ½ cup first, then let the dough mix it together if the dough still sticky add ¼ cup slowly.)
    • ½ cup Cake flour

    TOPPING DOUGH:

    • 1 & ¼ cups All purpose flour
    • 1 lagre Egg yolk
    • ½ teaspoon Baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon Baking powder
    • ¾ cup Sugar (Use a chopper let it run around a few seconds)
    • ¼ cup Nonfat dry milk powder (Use a chopper let it run around a few seconds)
    • ¼ cup Butter (Melted)
    • ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
    • 4 tablespoons Milk

    BRUSH THE BUNS:

    • 1 large Egg yolk

    Instructions

    • Pour ½ cup of warm milk, ½ cup of heavy whipping cream, and ¼ cup of sugar into the Bosch mixer. (Warm up the milk in the microwave for 15 seconds or leave it out at room temperature for 30 minutes before using it. Also, I used 2 % milk. You can use fat free or whole milk.)
    • After that, add 1 tablespoon of active dry yeast and 1 large egg into the Bosch mixer. ( I prefer to use a Bosch mixer.)
    • Turn on the lowest setting #1 and let it mix it a little bit and turn off the mixer. Then, wait for 5 minutes. (Don't run the mixer too long, just want to mix the ingredients.)
    • In another container, put 1&½ cups of bread flour, ½ cup of cake, ½ tablespoon dough enhancer, ½ tablespoon of vital wheat gluten and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix it well.
    • After, turn on the mixer at the lowest setting #1 and pour the flour mixture slowly into the yeast mixture. (Note: if the dough is sticky, add the rest of ¼ cup bread flour at a time until the dough comes together). Then, change the mixer from lowest setting to medium or high setting #3 and let it run for 10-15 minutes.
    • After 10-15 minutes, the dough is ready. Then, take the dough out in a bowl and cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it sit for 45 minutes. (My trick to speed up the rising time. Normally, I preheat the oven to 200F. Then, turn off the oven and put the dough in for 30 minutes.)
    • In the meanwhile, prepare the topping dough. Put ¼ cup of nonfat dry milk powder into the chopper.
    • Then, add ¾ cup of sugar into the chopper. Let it run for a few seconds until it's smooth and fine.
    • In a container, put 1 & ¼ cups of all purpose flour, the chopped sugar and dry milk powder from step 7 and 8. Also, 1 large egg yolk, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, ¼ teaspoon of baking powder, ¼ cup of melted butter, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and 4 tablespoons of milk.
    • Mix the ingredients well and keep kneading until the dough comes together. Set it aside and cover with a cloth.
    • When the dough rises, roughly divide the dough into 12 or 10 pieces depending how big the bun or bread you want. (I did it for 12 pieces.)
    • Next, roll the dough into balls and put on the parchment paper with oil spray on the tray. Cover it with a wet cloth and let it wait for 15 minutes.
    •  At the same time, roughly divide the topping dough from step 10 and roll it into a ball.
    • Take a topping dough and cover with plastic wrapper.
    • Press with your palm to flatten the topping dough.
    • The following step, put the topping dough on top of the bread dough from step 12.
    • Beat a large egg yolk or egg and brush the egg on top of the topping dough.
    • Preheat the oven at 350F, bake at 350F for 18-22 minutes until it's golden brown.

    Notes

    Cooking tips for how to make Chinese pineapple buns or bo lo bao recipe:

    Bread dough:

    • Personally prefer to use a Bosch mixer to make bread because they mix the dough very well.
    • Remember to leave the milk and heavy cream at room temperature for 30 minutes or just warm up a little bit in the microwave for 15 seconds. This can help the yeast rise faster.
    • Add 1 & ½ cup bread flour first, then let the dough mix it together if the dough is still sticky add ¼ cup of bread flour slowly.
    • I added dough enhancer and vital wheat gluten, so the bread has a better texture.
    • To speed up the rising time. Normally, I preheat the oven to 200F. Then, turn off the oven and put the dough in for 30 minutes.

    Topping dough:

    • Put regular sugar and dry milk powder in a chopper and run it for a few seconds. Thus, it is smooth and fine.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 12g | Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 306mg | Potassium: 134mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 391IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Tracy O.
    About Me

    Welcome to Oh My Food Recipes, where you can find inspiration for meals or dinner ideas specialty Asian cuisines. Oh My Food Recipes is tried and tested recipes with step by step photo tutorials.... Read more!

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