Crispy BBQ Pork Bun (Siew Bao)

I baked these siew bao/ crispy BBQ pork bun few weeks ago. 12 of them, for the first time no leakage of gravy from the seal. Then few days later I baked another batch of 18 (using 1.5x the ingredients) for Friday LG supper. All using the same recipe from my previous baked. This siew bao is my fifth attempt so far, if not mistaken. However, there is something more which I want to tell you, a personal observation on these pastry, not to offend anyone.

When I was preparing my oil dough for the 12 siew bao, the dough felt very dry (compared to my previous four baked). I was worried, thinking that it might be a failure attempt. The rolling of dough was a nightmare, as the water dough couldn't contain the oil dough, the oil dough was far too dry, the dough torn while rolling up. However, it surprised me when come to wrapping the filling, the dough was able to seal very well, this has not happen before in my previous four baked.


Then, in the oven, the siew bao didn't leak out any gravy!! I was so happy, how come this happen? Does it means that the oil dough has to be dry so to get a good seal? Then the true came out when I bite on the pastry, hey... it doesn't has the flaky layers. This is because the dough torn, the oil dough and water dough had mixed into each other layers.

To confirm about my finding, I tried to make another batch of siew bao a few days later. I mixed the oil dough well and it formed a rough dough like my previous four baked. The rolling was easy, the dough was soft until the end of sealing up of filling. However, what happened was like in my previous four baked, the pastry puff up and create gaps at the seal, this cause some of the gravy from the filling...leaking out! The texture of the pastry is with perfect flaky layers.

So which one you like? As for me, I still prefer the flaky layers pastry.

12 pcs batch with no leakage of gravy

This is one of the 12 pcs I baked. See the pastry? There isn't clear layering in the pastry, the pastry is a bit hard compared to my previous four baked.

Ingredients for filling:

250g pork, sliced into small cubes

some mix vegetables

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsps sesame oil

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsps cornstarch

2 tbsps char siu sauce

3 tbsps cooking oil

Steps:

1. Marinade all the ingredients (except garlic and cooking oil) for an hour.

2. Heat wok, add cooking oil. Stir-fry garlic for 2 mins, add the marinade pork. Stir-fry the mixture until cook, or about 8 mins. Set aside to cool completely.

Ingredients for pastry:

water dough:

200g plain flour

50g butter
1 tbsp sugar

90ml water

oil dough:

200g top flour

70g butter (make sure the dough is wet and smooth, add a bit more butter to get the right texture, this also depends on the flour that you use)

Step:

1. In a bowl, mix ingredients for water dough (except butter), slowly add in water. Knead into a rough dough, add butter and knead to a smooth dough. Cover and set aside for 30 mins.

2. Mix ingredients for oil dough. Use butter knife to cut the butter and use fingertips to lightly rub the butter with flour until mixture look like fine breadcrumbs. Lightly press together the oil dough. Cover and keep in fridge for 30 mins.

3. Divide water and oil dough into 12 portions respectively.

4. Flatten the water dough, wrap the oil dough in it. Flatten with rolling pin, roll up. Cover and let it rest for 15 mins. Flatten from the long side, roll up. Cover and let it rest for 10 mins.
5. Use finger to pull up two end of the dough and press into middle. Flatten the dough into circle and stuff filling, egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

6. Bake at 210 C for 30 mins.

Note: you may refer to here on how to roll the dough.
          

This is the second batch (one of the 18 pcs), see the puff up at the seal? such a puff up is important for a pastry to ensure it gets the flaky layers. However, this puff up usually will cause leakage of gravy from the filling.

yummy flaky layers pastry!!