Scallion Sesame Hot Dog Buns
Scallion Sesame Hot Dog Buns

Scallion Sesame Hot Dog Buns

Recipe by Betty Liu
17 Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars

These beautiful, flower-shaped hot dog buns are something to be revered. Recipe developer Betty Liu describes the Chinese bakery classic, which comes in a variety of shapes, as “hot dogs cocooned in the softest bread — a meal in itself.” Scallions are rolled in with the bread, so each bite has the fragrance and punch of alliums. The sesame coating provides crunch and a nutty flavor that’s right at home in these sweet and savory buns. 

Prep
30 mins
Bake
22 to 25 mins
Total
3 hrs
Yield
8 buns
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Scallion Sesame Hot Dog Buns - select to zoom
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Scallion Sesame Hot Dog Buns shaping - select to zoom
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Instructions

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  1. To make the tangzhong: Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan, and whisk until no lumps remain. 

  2. Place the saucepan over low heat and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until thick and the whisk leaves lines on the bottom of the pan, about 3 to 5 minutes. 

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  3. Transfer the tangzhong to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.  

  4. To make the dough: Pour the cold milk over the tangzhong to help it cool to lukewarm.   

  5. Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Add the flour and remaining dough ingredients to the bowl with the tangzhong, then mix and knead — by mixer or bread machine — until a smooth, elastic dough forms; this could take almost 15 minutes in a stand mixer. 

  6. Shape the dough into a ball, and let it rest in a lightly greased bowl, covered, for 60 to 90 minutes, until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk. 

  7. Gently deflate the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces, about 85g each. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.  

  8. To shape the buns: On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out each piece out into a rough 6" square. Sprinkle the surface with scallions. Place the hot dog on one edge, then roll it up in the dough. Set aside. Repeat with remaining dough and hot dogs.  

  9. With a knife, cut each hot dog roll into six 1" pieces. Turn the pieces so the cut side of the hot dog is facing up and nestle each piece against each other to form a flower shape (one circle in the center, with five circles surrounding it). Set on the prepared baking sheet, cover, and let rise for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy.  

  10. Towards the end of rising time, preheat oven to 350°F.  

  11. To bake the buns: Brush the buns with egg wash and sprinkle generously with sesame seeds.  

  12. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on top.  

  13. Transfer to a rack when cool enough to handle. Serve warm or at room temperature.  

  14. Storage information: Store any leftover buns, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for several days. 

Tips from our Bakers

  • With origins in Japan's yukone (or yudane), tangzhong is a yeast bread technique popularized across Asia by Taiwanese cookbook author Yvonne Chen. Tangzhong involves cooking some of a bread recipe’s flour in liquid prior to adding it to the remaining dough ingredients. Bringing the temperature of the flour and liquid to 65°C (149°F) pre-gelatinizes the flour’s starches, which makes them more able to retain liquid — thus enhancing the resulting bread's softness and shelf life.

  • From sweet to savory and classic to contemporary, you can use this base dough to create several other spectacular buns. You can find all the recipes here.

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