Ingredients:
– High-gluten flour: 250g
– Fine sugar: 15g
– Salt: 3g
– Yeast: 3g
– Water: 160g
– Olive oil: 15ml
– Toasted sesame seeds: 15g
– Butter: as needed
Instructions:
1. Combine high-gluten flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a bowl. Mix well. Add water and oil, stirring until a shaggy dough forms.
2. Incorporate sesame seeds. Use a spatula to fold and press the mixture into a cohesive dough. The dough should be slightly sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and ferment at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. Then refrigerate overnight.
3. The next morning, remove the dough. Lightly dust the work surface with flour and gently transfer the dough. Press to degas. After the dough warms to room temperature, divide it into 6 equal portions. Shape into balls with seams facing down on a baking tray.
4. To shape, fold the dough inward like forming baozi buns, creating a taut surface.
5. Preheat the oven to 150°C for 3 minutes, then turn it off. Place the baking tray inside for secondary fermentation (25-30 minutes) until doubled in size. Remove the tray. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Dust the dough with flour and score the surface with a sharp blade.
6. Insert small butter strips into the scores.
7. Bake in the preheated oven at 200°C for 13 minutes on the middle rack.
8. Once baked, serve directly or slice horizontally to use as sandwich bread with lettuce, eggs, and bacon.
Cooking Tips:
1. Black or white sesame seeds work well; black seeds enhance visual appeal. Olive oil can be substituted with neutral oils like corn oil. Avoid strongly flavored oils like peanut or rapeseed.
2. Skip room-temperature fermentation if ambient temperatures are high; refrigerate directly.
3. Allow chilled dough to reach 16-20°C before shaping to prevent tearing and texture degradation.
4. In dry winter conditions, place a hot water tray in the oven during secondary fermentation to maintain humidity.
