Pineapple bun with butter

MAKES 8

“There is no trace of pineapple in this bun – it gets its name from its golden crispy crust that looks a bit like a pineapple. A slab of cold butter melting in the middle of a freshly baked bun is what makes these truly addictive,” says Chan.

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

Butter, to serve

BUN DOUGH

60 gm caster sugar

5 gm instant dry yeast

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tsp evaporated milk

60 gm lard (or vegetable shortening) at room temperature

300 gm (2 cups) bread flour

PASTRY TOPPING

¼ tsp baking soda

70 gm cake flour, plus extra for dusting

50 gm icing sugar

1 egg yolk

1 tsp evaporated milk

30 gm lard or vegetable shortening

1 To make bun dough, combine sugar, yeast and 150ml tepid water in a bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes or until the mixture starts to bubble. Stir in egg, evaporated milk and lard, then add flour and gently mix until well combined.

2 Turn out dough onto a clean surface and knead for 10 minutes. Cover with a clean damp cloth and rest for 10 minutes. Knead dough for another 10 minutes or until smooth. Take a small piece of dough and do the “windowpane” test: if you can stretch it relatively thinly without tearing it, that means the gluten has developed enough. If it tears, knead for a bit longer and try again.

3 Place dough in a medium bowl, cover with a clean damp cloth and leave dough to prove for 1-1½ hours or until it has nearly doubled in size. Proving time will depend on the temperature in the room.

4 Gently knock back dough, then roll it into a cylinder. Divide dough into eight even pieces and roll into balls. Place on a tray, cover with clean dry cloth and prove for an hour until doubled in size.

5 Preheat the oven to 200°C.

6 To make topping, combine baking soda, flour and sugar in a bowl. Add the egg, milk, lard and ½ tsp water and mix until just combined (do not overwork dough). Cover dough with plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

7 Cut pastry topping into eight walnutsized balls. Lightly dust surface with flour, then press down on each ball to form a thin disc. Place a disc on top of each bun. 8 Lightly spray buns and topping with water, then brush topping with beaten egg yolk. Bake until buns are raised and golden brown (15 minutes). Cut in half and serve warm with a slice of butter. Buns are best eaten on the day they’re made, but can be stored in an airtight container and eaten the next day.