These Soft Milk Buns were inspired by the soft, fluffy breads from popular Taiwanese bakery 85C.
Fresh bread! Fresh bread! FRESH BREAD!
If you live in the Los Angeles/Orange County area and you have not heard about the greatness that is 85 C (degrees) Bakery, you are missing out.
The craze began a couple of years ago when this famous Taiwanese bakery opened its first US location in the little Orange County neighborhood of Irvine.
Lines to get bread went out the door; long lines that often took 30 minutes or so. Since then, 85C has spread to Rowland Heights, West Covina, and Chino Hills.
You would never guess that a low-carb diet (Atkin’s diet) ever existed when you walk into this bakery. Customers fill their trays full of bread as if their lives depended on carbs.
Every 15 minutes or so, a team of bakers bring out fresh-baked goods while shouting “fresh bread” to notify the never ended stream of customers.
Everyone, from toddlers to great-grandmothers, wait in line to get boxes and boxes of their fresh bread.
I go for their sea salt coffee, which I have tried to imitate here. When I visit my parents, I’ll often stop by the store and pick up some bread and a couple blended drinks. But for the most part, I stay away because of the lines.
I’m a bread addict and I try to get my fix at home. I find bread making so relaxing and satisfying. Also, baking the bread at home allows me to go around my kitchen screaming “fresh bread” to my boyfriend and dog.
Soft Milk Buns
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water, 90-110 degrees F
- 2/3 cup whole milk, warm or room temp
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 1 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoon bread flour
- 3 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 Tablespoon melted butter, for brushing dough
- pearl sugar, as needed to garnish
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Add a pinch of sugar and stir to combine. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until mixture is cloudy, foamy, and has increased in volume.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, mix together all-purpose flour, bread flour, sugar, and salt. Add yeast mixture, warm milk, and egg. Knead to combine.
- Slowly add softened butter, one tablespoon at a time. Mix until incorporated. Continue to knead in machine or transfer to clean working surface and knead by hand until dough is smooth, soft and elastic.
- Roll dough into a ball and place in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough proof for 45-60 minutes until dough has doubled in volume.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Remove dough from bowl and deflate using the heel of your hand. Transfer to a cleaning working surface. Divide dough into 8 equal portions, roughly 2 oz each. Or divide dough into your desired size.
- Roll dough into a tight balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes until dough has puffed up.
- Score tops of dough using a sharp pairing knife. Lightly brush dough with melted butter and sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake for 12-15 minutes until dough is golden in color.
I love baking my own bread! I rarely buy bread anywhere else.
These rolls look so delicious!! I think I have to bake them this afternoon already :)
Happy baking!
I made them yesterday! They turned out delicious! We already ate half of them last night on the sofa with a glass of wine. And the other half this morning for breakfast. All gone already :-)
Wow, finished already?! That’s wonderful to hear!
Fresh bread is something so simple but yet so satisfying !! I have to make some kind of it soon again too :) your photos look gorgeous :)
Thank you so much! I appreciate it :)
What do you do with these buns? Butter and eat alongside soup/stew? Use for sandwiches?
Hi Jade, you can just eat them as is. They’re a slightly sweet bread that is usually eaten as a snack or for breakfast with coffee.
Hi! Do you think I can replace active dry yeast with instant yeast instead because that’s all they sell where I live. If so, do I still need the warm water? Thank you.
Yes, you can easily replace instant yeast for active dry yeast. No need to dissolve the yeast in warm water for the instant yeast. Omit step one. Add yeast and water along with the milk and egg in step 2.
Whenever I bake I feel the need to announce to the whole house
‘The buns are in the oven! I repeat the buns are in the oven!’
‘It’s done! It’s done! ‘
*knocks on door with bun in hand *Eat This!
Hi! I was wondering if one can make these as a chocolate version.
These were so easy to make and they turned out great. I’m new to bread making so here is some add’l info that might be helpful to other newbies: it took about 12-15 minutes on the lowest setting of my kitchenaid to knead the dough after I added all ingredients. Not sure if that’s the right time! And, leave enough room between the buns on the tray or they’ll bake together like mine did. Still tasted great though! Shaping the dough was so easy that my 7 year old did it!