Ham & Cheese Rose Bun

I used the same bread dough recipe that I'd made the chicken floss buns about 2 weeks ago here.  I still have some chicken floss and bread flour, so obviously to make the chicken floss buns again.

When kneading the dough, my boy asked if can make ham & cheese buns since we have some ham and cheddar cheese in the fridge.  Well, why not ? So, I have 2 requests ... to bake ham & cheese bun and chicken floss buns for our brekkie ^-^!

While trying to wrap or fold the bun for the ham & cheese, the steamed 南瓜玫瑰馒头 Pumpkin Rose Mantou crossed my mind.  Yes, I loved the rose shaped mantou very much and using the same technique, I think could make the shape of rose bun as well.  Yes ! I'm glad that it turned out prettily like yellow roses ^-^

Ham & Cheese Rose Bun
Note : I got the "hang" of making the rose buns, so eventually I made 3 mini chicken floss buns and 10 ham & cheese rose buns :D

Ingredients
270g bread flour
30g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
1 egg
30g caster sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
150ml milk
30g unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 slices of ham
5 slices of cheddar cheese

Egg Wash (1 egg, beaten)

Instructions
In a big bowl, add the flours, yeast, egg, sugar, salt and 120ml of the milk.

Mix, and add the rest of the milk gradually while mixing.
Once the ingredients have come together, add the butter and knead to incorporate.

Keep kneading the dough until the dough is elastic (it will get less sticky as you knead) and has reached the windowpane stage.
(I spent about 20 mins in kneading the dough)
Shape into a ball and place the dough in a bowl.

Spray with a little water (I skipped this as don't have a sprayer) and cover with a piece of damp cloth.

Place the bowl in a *warm place to allow the dough to rise for about 1-1.5 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
*As shared on proofing dough : turn on the oven to the lowest temperature (35°C) for 1 minute, turn it off and place the dough in the oven to rise.

Punch the dough to allow the air to escape.

Divide the dough into 18 portions about 30g each. Shape each portion into a ball. Cover with a piece of damp cloth and rest for 15 minutes.

For the ham & cheese rose buns, I tried 2 ways : -

(A) Used the same technique in making rose mantou :



Lay 1 round dough disc, 1 slice of ham, 1 dough disc, 1 slice of cheese and 3rd piece of dough, overlap each other in a row. Use one piece to roll into a small log. Put the log-shaped dough at the end of the circle of dough and roll up the dough pieces. Once all rolled up like a big log, place it horizontally and cut the center using a knife or dough cutter to make 2 roses.

Quite ok but I was not too happy as it's too fat and it looked like wrapped dumpling.

I tried another way instead, refer pictorial below :
(B)

1. Make 3 round dough disc.  Lay 1 round dough disc, place 1 slice of ham and 1 slice of cheese. 
2. Roll it up like a small log. Pinch the seam/edges to seal

3. Place the log over 1 round dough disc, roll it up. Pinch the seam/edges to seal. Repeat for the 3rd dough disc.

4. Place it horizontally and cut the center using a knife or dough cutter to make 2 roses.

Place the dough on two baking trays. Place the trays in the oven to proof for 50 minutes.

Remove the trays from the oven and preheat the oven to 170°C.

Brush egg wash on the bread dough. Bake for 15 minutes or until the bread has turned golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Note:
I used the lowest rack to bake.

The temperature of the oven may vary, you have to adjust the temperature and timing to suit your oven.

That's for my brekkie to kick-start a lovely day !

Happy baking and have a lovely day too :D