I always go back to this recipe when I want a really soft bun.  Nothing fanciful, just a straight dough recipe.  Made it “ko-song” without any fillings or toppings.

Told myself this as I was munching them away : “Always, always keep flour, yeast, sugar, salt, egg, and butter at home”, that’s all you need to bake a very fulfilling breakfast/ tea break/ supper item.

SOFT BREAD ROLLS
// Adapted from <<爆漿餐包>>
// Yields 10 small buns

INGREDIENTS

174g bread flour
43g plain flour
13g milk powder
7g instant yeast
39g white castor sugar
2g salt
22g beaten egg
100g water
22g unsalted butter

METHOD

Mix well both types of flour, yeast and milk powder in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl with a flat beater,  mix sugar, salt, egg and water, till well combined.

Add flour, yeast and milk powder mixture, and run the mixer on low speed till the ingredients form a ball.

Change to a dough hook, and knead for about 5 minutes.

Add in butter, and continue to knead till dough reach window pane stage.

Remove bowl from mixer, knead the dough with hand into a neat ball, cover it with a clean tea towel and proof it for 90 minutes, the dough should expand to twice its size.

Pour out the expanded dough on a clean kneading board/tabletop, and knead the dough again, pushing out gases inside.

Divide and shape the dough equally into 10 small balls (about 40g each).  Set aside to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Flatten each dough gently with palm, pushing out the air inside, and roll it  into a ball.

Arrange them on a baking tray.  Cover with towel and proof for another 45 minutes.

Bake in a preheated oven at 170C for 10 minutes or until the buns turn golden brown.

Remove from oven and brush melted butter on the bun’s top immediately.  This will to keep the crusts soft, even after cooling down.