BAKED CHAR SIEW PAU

After the steam BBQ pau, I suddenly thought of making a bake version. I love baked pau and since barbecue pork is conveniently available near our place and i have enough time to make it i decided to pass by the stall and grabbed about a quarter kilo of char siew.

If Steam Char Siew Paus MUST have a burst, cracked top, the Baked Char Siew Pau's signature is a crusty, flaky bun instead of soft bread-like pau. The procedure may seem overwhelming but actually it's just easy and even fun to make. 

Here's how 😉

BAKED CHAR SIEW PAU

Makes 9 pau at about 32g each

Ingredients:

Water Dough – makes about 206g raw dough

Divide about 22g each

3/8 c all purpose flour

¼ c bread flour

3 tbsp oil

1 ½ tbsp caster sugar

½ tsp light syrup

3 tbsp water

Using a stand mixer, mix ingredients for about 10 mins to form a smooth dough, I know this is just a little dough but it’s worth placing in the stand mixer, after mixing, use a spatula to round it into ball and let it sit in the bowl to rest for 15 minutes.  When done, divide into 9.

Oil Dough -makes about 93g raw dough

Divide about 10g each

3/8 c all purpose flour

2 ¾ tbsp oil

Using spatula, mix ingredients in a bowl to form a smooth dough, rest for 15 minutes.  When done, divide into 9.

I made small little balls ready on the side for easy grabbing and some flour to dust in case needed.

Brushing/Garnishing

Eggyolk lightly beaten 

Sesame seeds

Filling (recipe)

Pork BBQ filling or any of your preferred meat

Assembling:

1. Grab one ball of water dough flatten it. Get one ball of oil dough and place it at the center of water dough and wrap.

2.  Using a rolling pin (small one) flatten the dough away from you, it will look like a flat log dough. Roll like a swiss roll. -- flat and roll lengthwise/ vertical---

3. Without moving the rolled dough flatten again sideways. Then roll like a swiss roll. --- flat and roll crosswise/ vertical---

4. Take the roll, and form a ball, then lay on the counter and flatten to form a circle about  4cm in diameter.

5. Place filling (about ½ tbsp) at the center.

6. Bring the sides together. Pinch and twist to seal.

7. Place in a baking tray lined with parchment.

8. Brush pau's with beaten eggyolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. (no need to rest, just bake when your're done preparing the pau).

9. Bake at 190°C for 25 minutes until golden brown.

I accidentally add water in my yolk which i shouldn't so the color is lighter. Pure eggyolk wash will give you a deeper  yellow color, so use just eggyolks.

That's the crusty, flaky skin i want!