Making Heart Shaped Cinnamon Buns (containing TangZhong)

Its Christmas, lets share some joy and love by making heart shaped cinnamon buns for everyone including Santa!

Ingredients for Heart Shaped Cinnamon Buns (makes 12 large buns or 24 smaller buns)

For cinnamon filling:

  • 80 g light brown sugar
  • 35 g flour
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 113 g butter softened (you can use salted or unsalted)

For dough, refer to ingredients to make Pai Bao,

Method:

For cinnamon filling: Combine and mix the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a medium size bowl. Cut in the butter and mix well. Set aside (this can be made in advance and refrigerated, unused protions can be kept in the refrigerator for several days).

To make the dough, refer to the methods described for Pai Bao, with the following modifications to shape the buns:

After first proofing, deflate to remove the air in the dough and divide into 12  equal portions to make large buns or 24 smaller buns to make smaller portions.

Roll out each portion of the dough with a rolling pin into a circular shape. Place a dollop of cinnamon filling in the middle of the rolled dough.  Make the dough into a ball.

3)     Roll the filled dough into an oval shape.

 

4)    Fold the rolled dough and roll to the edge with a rolling pin.

5)     Fold the dough again and roll the dough to the edge with a rolling pin.

6)    Cut the dough and open out the dough to make a heart shape.

7)     Repeat with the rest of the dough and cinnamon filling.

 

8)    Place it on a large baking tray to be covered with cling wrap or a damp cloth for 1 hours and 30 minutes. You can arrange the heart buns to make a flower or leave them separated to proof.


 

9)    Lightly brush the surface with whisked egg (egg wash). Bake in a pre-heated oven at 150 degrees C for 10 to 20 minutes, until the buns  turn brown.

10) Remove from the oven and transfer onto a wire rack. Let cool completely. I have a fan assisted oven, depending on your oven you may need to alter the temperature and time. As long as the top turns brown your buns should be ready. Only you know you oven best.

Here is one I made into a flower with a ball of dough in the middle, a ‘tear and share’ bun.