Coconut Buns (Chinese Cocktail Buns)
Coconut buns, or cocktail buns (chicken tail buns) are a favorite at Chinese bakeries. This recipe is soft, fluffy, authentic, and incredibly easy to make.
- Prep time
- 3 hr
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2/3 cup heavy cream ((160 ml, at room temperature))
- 1 cup milk ((plus 1 tablespoon, total 250 ml, at room temperature))
- 1 large egg ((at room temperature))
- 1/3 cup sugar ((75g))
- 1/2 cup cake flour ((70 g))
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour ((500g))
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast ((11g))
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt ((7g))
- 6 tablespoons butter ((85g, softened))
- 3 tablespoons caster sugar ((38g, or superfine sugar))
- 3 tablespoons cake flour ((19g))
- ¼ cup dry milk powder ((30g))
- ½ cup desiccated coconut ((40g))
- 1/3 cup cake flour ((38g))
- 3 tablespoons butter ((43g, softened))
- 4 ½ teaspoons caster sugar ((20g, or superfine sugar))
- egg wash ((1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water))
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds ((9g))
- 1 tablespoon sugar ((12g, dissolved in 1 tablespoon/15 ml hot water))
Instructions
- 1
Start by making the bread dough, and be sure your ingredients are at room temperature. In the bowl of a mixer, add the heavy cream, milk, egg, sugar, cake flour, bread flour, yeast, and salt (in that order). Using the dough hook attachment, turn on the mixer at its lowest setting.
- 2
Let it go for 15 minutes, occasionally stopping the mixer to push the dough together. (Note: if you’re in a humid climate, and the dough is too sticky, add more flour ¼ cup at a time until the dough comes together). After 15 minutes, the dough is ready for proofing. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and place in a warm spot for 1 hour. The dough will grow to about 1.5X its original size.
- 3
Meanwhile, prepare the filling by thoroughly combining all the filling ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
- 4
After the bread dough has proofed for an hour, put the dough back in the mixer and knead slowly for another 5 minutes to get rid of air bubbles. Dump the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into 12 equal pieces.
- 5
Flatten each piece of dough with your hands into a rough oval shape, about 4 inches long and 3 inches wide. Spread about a tablespoon of filling onto the middle of the dough, and roll it into a cigar, tucking the ends under the bun to completely seal the filling in. We like this method because it evenly distributes the filling throughout the bun.
- 6
Transfer the buns to a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise for another 45 minutes to an hour.
- 7
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. For the topping, mix together 1/3 cup cake flour, 3 tablespoons softened butter, and 4 ½ teaspoons caster sugar, and transfer to a piping bag or small zip top bag with a small corner cut off. Set aside.
- 8
Once the buns have risen, brush with egg wash. Pipe two stripes of your topping mixture onto each bun, and sprinkle each with sesame seeds. Bake for 15-17 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and brush with the sugar syrup.