What it 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 people called them pineapple bun?
This is because the top of bun is made of sugar cookie when it bakes in an oven, the top cracks naturally and look like pineapple skin. Therefore, people named them bo lo bao (菠蘿包) or pineapple bun even thought it doesn't contain any pineapple ingredients.
Cooking tips for how to make pineapple buns or bo lo bao recipe:
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 an hour or just warn up little bit in the microwave like 30-60 seconds. This can help the yeast rise faster.
- Add 1 & 1/2 cup bread flour first, then let the dough mix it together if the dough still sticky add 1/4 cup slowly.
- I added dough enhancer and vital wheat gluten, so the bread has better texture.
Topping dough:
- Put regular sugar and dry milk powder in a chopper and run it for a minute. Thus, it has smooth and fine sugar and dry milk powder.
FAQs:
When to eat pineapple buns?
Most people in Hong Kong eat pineapple buns in the morning for breakfast or afternoon as a snack. The best to eat pineapple bun when it is fresh and warm out of the oven.
What to do with leftover 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 few days to a week long in refrigerator
Instructions for how to make bo lo bao:
1. Adding heavy cream, milk, sugar and yeast in a mixer bowl and mix it. ( I prefer to use Bosch mixer.) Then, wait for 5 minutes. In another bowl add cake flour, bread flour 1&1/2 cups, dough enhancer and vital wheat gluten.
After that, turn on the mixer at the lowest setting and add the flour mixture slowly. (Note: if the dough is too sticky, add 1/4 cup flour at a time until the dough comes together). Next, change the mixer from lowest setting to medium or high setting and let it runs for 5- 10 minutes.
2. After 5- 10 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 minuets.
3. While waiting the dough rise, prepare the topping dough by combining all the topping dough ingredients in a mixer bowl and run it for 2 minuets. Then, set it aside. (*I put regular sugar and dry milk powder in a chopper and run it for a minute.)
4. When the dough is ready, divide the dough into 10 pieces and roll it like a ball. Then put them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let it rise.
5. Divide the topping dough into 10 pieces and roll like a ball. Then, flatten it and place on top of the bread dough.
6. Preheat oven for 350 degrees. After that, brush with egg yolk and bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes until it turns golden brown.
Enjoy this delicious homemade Chinese pineapple bun recipe! Also, try these classic cocktail buns and Kong Hong style Chinese hot dog recipe.
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Pineapple Buns (港式菠蘿包）
Ingredients
BREAD DOUGH:
- 1/2 cup Milk (at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup Heavy cream (at room temperature)
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Egg (large, at room temperature)
- 1/2 tablespoon Dough enhancer
- 1/2 tablespoon Vital wheat gluten
- 1 & 3/4 cups Bread flour total ( add 1 & 1/2 cup first, then let the dough mix it together if the dough still sticky add 1/4 cup slowly.)
- 1/2 cup Cake flour
TOPPING DOUGH:
- 1 & 1/4 cups All purpose flour
- 1 Egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon Baking powder
- 3/4 cup Superfine sugar (use a chopper let it run around a minute)
- 1/4 cup Nonfat dry milk powder
- 1/4 cup Butter (melted)
- 1/8 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons Milk
BRUSH THE BUNS:
- 1 Egg yolk
Instructions
- Adding heavy cream, milk, sugar and yeast in a mixer bowl and mix it. ( I prefer to use Bosch mixer.) Then, wait for 5 minutes. In another bowl add cake flour, bread flour 1&1/2 cups, dough enhancer and vital wheat gluten. After that, turn on the mixer at the lowest setting and add the flour mixture. (Note: if the dough is too sticky, add 1/4 cup flour at a time until the dough comes together). Next, change the mixer from lowest setting to medium or high setting and let it runs for 5- 10 minutes.
- After 5- 10 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 minuets.
- While waiting the dough rise, prepare the topping dough by combining all the topping dough ingredients in a mixer bowl and run it for 2 minuets. Then, set it aside. (*I put regular sugar and dry milk powder in a chopper and run it for a minute.)
- When the dough is ready,divide the dough into 10 pieces and roll it like a ball. Then put them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let it rise.
- Divide the topping dough into 10 pieces and roll like a ball. Then, flatten it and place on top of the bread dough.
- Preheat oven for 350 degrees. After that, brush with egg yolk and bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes until it turns golden brown.
Notes
COOKING TIPS FOR HOW TO BO LO BAO (菠蘿包) RECIPE:
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 an hour or just warn up little bit in the microwave like 30-60 seconds. This can help the yeast rise faster.
- I added dough enhancer and vital wheat gluten, so the bread has better texture.
TOPPING DOUGH:
- Put regular sugar and dry milk powder in a chopper and run it for a minute. Thus, it has smooth and fine sugar and dry milk powder.