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strawberry and poppy seed Hokkaido milk bun

Strawberry poppy seed milk dough buns

the fluffiest poppy seed milk dough buns filled with strawberries and jam
5 from 2 votes
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Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • Stand mixer with dough hook

Ingredients
  

For the tangzhong paste

  • 2 tbsp strong bread flour
  • 6 tbsp milk

For the dough

  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 & 1/2 tsp fast action yeast
  • 2 &1/2 cups strong bread flour (320g)
  • 4 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp dried non fat milk powder (or condensed milk)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp poppy seeds
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp softened butter

Filling

  • strawberry jam
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh strawberries

Frosting

  • 3/4 cup mascarpone
  • 1/3 cup icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp runny honey

Instructions
 

  • The night before, or at least two hours before baking 
    (I have always made it the night before) : in a small sauce pan bring the milk just to the boil, 2 to 3 minutes, or heat to the boil in a microwave, in a microwave safe bowl. About one minute. This scalds the milk and kills any enzymes that might prevent the yeast from working. Set aside to cool slightly. Pour through a sieve when ready to use If you find a film has formed on the surface.
    Now make the tangzhong: in a small sauce pan add the water and flour and whisk until no lumps remain. Heat over a medium/low heat whisking constantly until the mixture resembles a roux like gel, about 2 minutes. As soon as lines begin to appear in the mixture when it is stirred, remove from the heat and transfer to a small clean bowl and allow to cool down to room temperature.
    Prepare the dough: When the milk is just warm and no longer hot, about 100f to 110f, sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
    Meanwhile in the bowl of your stand mixer add the flour, salt, sugar, poppy seeds and milk powder and mix.
    Once the yeast has foamed, add the egg and tangzhong and whisk together until well combined.Turn your mixer on and pour in the liquid and start mixing with the dough hook.
    After the dough has been mixing for two minutes add the butter in small chunks a bit at a time and making sure it is combined before you add the next chunk. Turn the mixer up and knead for another 3 to 5 minutes.
    Place the dough in a large bowl, so it has space to rise and cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge over night until it has doubled in size. (alternatively let is rise in a cool place for 2 hours)
    The next day: remove the dough from the fridge. when I do this over night method I like to leave the bowl on the work top for 30 minutes so it can get back to room temperature, but I’m not sure that step is essential.
    Shape the dough by rolling it out on a flour work surface, spread a thin layer of jam and then sprinkle on the chopped strawberries and roll up into a tight log.
    cut into 6 pieces and place in a lined 21cm tin.
    Leave to rise again for 1 hour, until doubled in size.
    Preheat the oven to 180c 350f. Bake for 30/40 minutes until golden brown, or an instant read thermometer inserted into the middle reads 200f 
    let cool, then mix the icing sugar, vanilla and mascarpone and spread on top.

Keyword buns, milk bread, strawberry, tangzhong