Pork Floss Milk Bread 肉鬆面包

Name: Pork Floss Milk Bread 肉鬆面包
Prep time: 3 h
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 3 h 25 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 500 g Bread flour; 280 g Water; 15 g Milk powder; 55 g Sugar; 7 g Sea salt; 1 Large egg; 5 g Instant dry yeast; 40 g Unsalted butter; 100 g Pork floss; 1 cup Chopped green onion; ½ cup Kewpie mayo; ¼ cup Condensed milk; Egg wash and sesame seeds; Additional mayo and pork floss; Grated cheeses

AuthorYun Zhang JohnCategoryBread, MeatDifficultyIntermediateRating

Yields2 Servings

Prep Time3 hrsCook Time25 minsTotal Time3 hrs 25 mins

Pork Floss Milk Bread 肉鬆面包

Pork floss is a polarizing ingredient. Some are turn off by the shelf stable meat jerky with the texture of cotton candy, while others find it to be a delightful snack. I don’t often eat pork floss but when I do, I prefer it a top of soft, fluffy milk bread.

And like my Asian Coconut Bread 椰蓉面包, pork floss milk bread bun 肉鬆面包 is another Chinese bakery classic that you’ve got to try!

What is pork floss (aka Rousong 肉鬆)?

Pork floss or any kind of meat floss are typically made with lean meat cooked in soy sauce, sugar and a few mild spices. It is then shredded and repeatedly turned about under low heat until it’s all dried up and becomes fluffy and floss-like in texture.

The taste is mostly savoury with tinge of sweetness and it’s enjoyed as is or as a topping/filling for milk bread buns, sandwiches rice congee or even in-between sweet roll cakes.

The Milk bread

Many recipes for pork floss milk bread bun requires a Tongzhong roux which help to keep the bread moist even after several days. I go into detail on this method in my chocolate peanut butter teddy bear bun recipe. However, this pork floss milk bread does not require it. The key to this milk bread is its extensively kneading. Use a stand mixer if you have it and knead it dough until you can stretch it so thin that it becomes see through without tearing. Do this and I promise that you'll end up with a soft, fluffy and bouncing milk bread that keeps.

The recipe also calls for a combination of water and milk powder. Though feel free to replace the water with milk and omit the milk powder altogether. Or include milk powder with the milk for that extra richness.

The mayo spread

Use Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise, because it’s simply the best. And also that's what Asian bakeries would be using for that authentic flavour. Normally the mayo is spread on the baked bread after the bread has been cooked and cooled. Which would mean that the buns themselves require refrigeration. But here, topping and bread are baked together into a loaf and therefore the cooked mayo becomes more shelf-stable. So you can keep this on the countertop for a day or so, no problem.

Aside from the Kewpie mayo, some like to add equal amounts of condensed milk to the spread. Now this is a pro move if you like that salty/sweet vibe. Highly recommended if you’ve got condensed milk on hand.

Additional toppings

As the pork floss, mayo and green onions are weaved into the bread, they are the complete package and nothing else is necessary to make these the best pork floss bread you’ll ever have!

However, if you want to go all out, spread more mayo and pork floss on top the the loaf after second proofing or even right before you eat. Baked on grated cheese would be amazing too!

Storage

As mentioned, you can store these loaf in plastic bags on the countertop for a day or in the fridge for up to five days. All you need to do before eating is to slice the bread and toast it up, it’ll be warmed though, crunchy on the outside while soft within and dare I say, even better than the day you made them?

I really hope you give this one a try!

You Will Need

Milk Bread

500 g Bread flourAll purpose will also work if you don't have bread flour

280 g WaterOr milk

15 g Milk powder

55 g Sugar

7 g Sea salt

1 Large egg

5 g Instant dry yeast

40 g Unsalted butter

Filling

100 g Pork floss50g for each loaf

1 cup Chopped green onion*Green parts only

½ cup Kewpie mayoDivided between 2 loafs

¼ cup Condensed milkOptional

Toppings

Egg wash and sesame seedsOR

Additional mayo and pork flossOR

Grated cheeses

Instructions

Making dough

Add water or milk, sugar, milk powder, yeast, egg, salt and the bread flour into a mixing bowl and mix with a spoon or spatula. Once the liquids have been absorbed, continue to knead by hand or in a stand mixer on low.

When the dough has become one, add in the soften butter and mix again to combine all the butter into the dough. When that’s happened, knead on speed 3 for 10-15min. Or until you have a very elastic dough with well developed gluten strands.

To test, you should be able to stretch the dough very thin without it tearing. Then form into a ball and cover to leave it for it’s first rising in a warm humid place.

When the dough had more than doubled in size, which can take any where between 1-2 hours, punch out the air and divide into 2 equal pieces. and shape those into balls and let them rest for 10min.

Shaping the loaves

Roll out each dough into a rectangular shape of approx. 40 x20 cm. Or whatever width that would fit in your preferred loaf pan.

Spread the Kewpie mayo generously and evenly on half of the rolled out rectangular dough. And sprinkle the pork floss generously on top of the mayo, followed by the chopped green onion.

When the toppings are in place, fold the other side of the dough over top to cover the filling entirely. Use a dough cutter or knife and cut 1cm wide stripes down the folded dough, leaving a 1-2cm area un cut on the top.

Then taking one strip at a time, twist it in one direction so that each strip is now a spiral of dough plus dough with filling layered in between. When they are all done, flatten out the ends and start to roll the entire loaf from top,

Once you get to the end, leave the loaf on its seams and press either sides to compact the shape. Carefully lift and put this into your loaf pan. Cover and let it rise for the second time.

Pork floss milk bread | Yun's Family Table

Baking

Another 45min-1hr later, the shaped loaf should be ready for the oven. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds or any other topping you would like. Put into a 350F/180C oven for 25-30min.

Once baked, removed from pan immediately and leave the loaves to cool down on a wire rack.

Ingredients

Milk Bread

500 g Bread flourAll purpose will also work if you don't have bread flour

280 g WaterOr milk

15 g Milk powder

55 g Sugar

7 g Sea salt

1 Large egg

5 g Instant dry yeast

40 g Unsalted butter

Filling

100 g Pork floss50g for each loaf

1 cup Chopped green onion*Green parts only

½ cup Kewpie mayoDivided between 2 loafs

¼ cup Condensed milkOptional

Toppings

Egg wash and sesame seedsOR

Additional mayo and pork flossOR

Grated cheeses

Directions

Making dough

To test, you should be able to stretch the dough very thin without it tearing. Then form into a ball and cover to leave it for it’s first rising in a warm humid place.

When the dough had more than doubled in size, which can take any where between 1-2 hours, punch out the air and divide into 2 equal pieces. and shape those into balls and let them rest for 10min.

Shaping the loaves

Roll out each dough into a rectangular shape of approx. 40 x20 cm. Or whatever width that would fit in your preferred loaf pan.

Spread the Kewpie mayo generously and evenly on half of the rolled out rectangular dough. And sprinkle the pork floss generously on top of the mayo, followed by the chopped green onion.

Once you get to the end, leave the loaf on its seams and press either sides to compact the shape. Carefully lift and put this into your loaf pan. Cover and let it rise for the second time.

Pork floss milk bread | Yun's Family Table

Baking

Another 45min-1hr later, the shaped loaf should be ready for the oven. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds or any other topping you would like. Put into a 350F/180C oven for 25-30min.

Once baked, removed from pan immediately and leave the loaves to cool down on a wire rack.

Pork Floss Milk Bread 肉鬆面包

Ingredients Directions