Pineapple Buns

Pineapple buns are a popular treat in Hong Kong.  They get their name from their shape and look, which resembles a pineapple.  What makes these buns so special is the sugar cookie topping, I had never tried anything like them before.  I made mine unique by adding cinnamon sugar on top, like a snicker-doodle.  These are delicious as a breakfast pastry or a snack, serve with Hong Kong Style Milk Tea for an authentic taste!

Servings: makes 8 buns

Ingredients:

For the Buns:

-1 cup white wheat flour

-1 cup whole wheat flour

-1 tsp salt

-2 Tbls sugar

-1 egg

-2 Tbls butter, melted

-1 packet of yeast

-1/3 cup + 2 Tbls warm water

For the Sugar Cookie Topping:

-1/2 cup white wheat flour

-1/2 cup whole wheat flour

-2/3 cup sugar

-1/4 cup butter, softned

-1/4 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp baking soda

-1 egg white (reserve the yolk)

-3 Tbls milk

-1/2 tsp vanilla extract (2-3 drops of vanilla concentrate)

Additional Ingredients:

-1 Tbls sugar

-2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

1) Combine the yeast with the warm water and a pinch of sugar.  Let set about 5 minutes until bubbly.

2) Combine the dry ingredients for the buns together.  Add the yeast mixture, butter, and egg.  Knead by hand until the dough comes together and is smooth and elastic, about 5-10 minutes.

3) Let the dough rise in a warm place for at least 1 hour until it has doubled in size.

4) Meanwhile, make the sugar cookie dough.  Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and then combine the wet ingredients (use the egg white, but reserve the egg yolk for brushing later).  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and form into a dough.  Set aside.

5) Once the bun dough has risen, pat it down and divide it into 8 equal balls. Place the balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Let them set for about 15 -20 minutes to rise again slightly.

6) Roll out half of the cookie dough so it is thin (2 mm thick) and cut out 8- 2 inch round disks.

7) Mix the reserved egg yolk with 1 Tbls of water.  Brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash.

8) Top the buns with one disk of cookie dough.  Brush the tops of the cookie dough with the egg wash as well.

9) Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top of the cookie dough buns.  Then, use a sharp knife to cut a criss-cross ‘pineapple’ pattern into the cookie dough.

10) Bake the buns at 215 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)  for about 15-18 minutes until they are golden brown.

These buns are best served warm right out of the oven.  In Hong Kong, they are served with a pat of butter stuffed in the middle, but I thought they were great plain! Enjoy.

Below are the ingredients used in this recipe.  You can find all the ingredients at Home Plus.  The whole wheat flour is often sold at smaller marts if you can’t find it at Home Plus.

Nutrition Information:

For 1 Serving (1 bun): 254 Calories, 7.5 g Fat, 3.7 g Saturated Fat, 40.6 mg Cholesterol, 344.2 mg Sodium, 42.2 g Carbohydrates, 3.3 g Fiber, 13.3 g Sugars, 6.1 g Protein.