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Scallion Pork Floss Rolls
5 from 20 votes
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Servings: 12 Rolls
Author: Lisa Lin

Scallion and Pork Floss Rolls

In this recipe, you’ll be incorporating the filling into the dough in 2 phases. This helps to distribute the filling so that it’s not just concentrated in the center swirl. If you want to make the dough a day ahead, read note 7 for more information.
I always use a scale to measure my ingredients, especially flour. For the volume measurement of the all-purpose flour, I measured using the spoon and sweep method (spooning flour into a measuring cup and then leveling off at the top). Do not tap the measuring cup on your counter to try to fit in more flour.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Additional Time2 hours
Total Time3 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

Tangzhong

  • 30 grams all-purpose flour, (3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon)
  • 115 grams water, (1/2 cup)

Dough

  • canola or vegetable oil for greasing bowl
  • 150 grams whole milk, (2/3 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 7 grams active dry yeast, (2 1/4 teaspoon, see note 1 if using instant yeast)
  • 450 grams all-purpose flour, (3 3/4 cups, measured with spoon-and-sweep method)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, (3 grams)
  • 70 grams unsalted butter, melted, (5 tablespoons)
  • 80 grams sweetened condensed milk , (4 tablespoons, see note 2 for substitution)
  • 1 large egg

Scallion & Pork Floss Filling

  • 120 grams scallions, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups sliced, see note 3)
  • 50 grams pork floss, (3/4 cup, see note 4)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided

Egg Wash

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon water or whole milk

Topping

  • toasted sesame seeds
  • pork floss

Equipment

  • small saucepan
  • small mixing bowl to hold filling
  • large mixing bowl to proof dough
  • rolling pin
  • Lodge Casserole Pan
  • butter for greasing pan

Instructions

Make the Tanzhong

  • In a saucepan, whisk the flour and water together until the flour dissolves.
  • Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir the mixture frequently. In about 30 seconds to a minute, the flour will start to thicken. Stir constantly until the watery liquid absorbs into the paste. Turn off the heat and transfer the tangzhong to a bowl to cool. (See note 5 for microwave tangzhong directions.)

Prepare the Dough

  • Lightly grease a large mixing bowl with oil. Set it aside. 
  • In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the milk in the microwave on high for about 30 to 40 seconds. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the milk. It should be somewhere around 105ºF to 120ºF. If the milk isn’t hot enough yet, heat it again for 5 to 10 seconds. If the milk is too hot, quickly whisk the milk and let it cool for several minutes.
  • Add the sugar and yeast to the milk. Stir to hydrate the yeast. Let it sit for 5 to 8 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. After 5 to 8 minutes, you should see a layer of foam on the top at least 1/4 inch thick (an indication that the yeast is active). 
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the all-purpose flour and salt. Add the melted butter, condensed milk, egg, tangzhong, and foamy milk/yeast mixture. 
  • Fit the mixer with the dough hook. Mix the dough on low until you don’t see any loose flour on the sides of the bowl. This should take 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then, increase the speed to medium-low and work the dough for 8 minutes. The dough should wrap around the dough hook and the sides of the bowl clean. If you notice dough stuck to the sides of the bowl after a few minutes, turn off the mixer, scrape down the dough, and continue working the dough with the mixer.
  • Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times. The dough likely will feel a little warm, and it should be soft and supple. If the dough is feeling tacky, lightly dust your hands with flour. 
  • Shape the dough into a ball and place inside the greased mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp towel (or a silicone lid) and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until the dough doubles in size. 

Make the Filling

  • About 15 minutes before rolling out the dough, make the filling. Measure out 2 1/2 tablespoons of sesame oil. In a bowl, mix the oil, scallions, pork floss, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Make sure you still have 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt left for the dough later on. Set the filling aside. 

Shape the Rolls

  • Grease the Lodge Cast Iron Casserole Pan generously with butter. Set the pan aside.
  • Punch down the dough to release excess air. Turn the dough over a lightly floured surface and knead the dough a few times so that the bottom is smooth. 
  • Roll out the dough to a 16x10-inch rectangle. 
  • Scoop out about 1/3 of the filling and spread it over the dough. Using a spatula or your hands, gently press the filling down on the dough. This helps to keep the filling in place for the next step.
  • Make an envelope fold. Grab onto one short end of the rectangle and then fold a third of the dough towards the center. Then, take the other short end, and fold it towards the center so that you now have 3 overlapping layers of dough. 
  • Turn the dough over 90 degrees and roll out the dough until it is 17 to 18 inches long and 10 to 11 inches wide.
  • Spread the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil over the dough and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt over the dough. Then, spread all the remaining filling over the dough. 
  • Grab onto a long edge of the dough and roll up the dough into a log. As you roll up the dough, make sure the sides are rolling up straight and not caving in. That helps to ensure that the rolled up dough is evenly thick throughout. I like to stretch the dough on the sides gently to ensure that the dough log is rolling up straight. Once rolled up, the dough log will be between 19 to 20 inches long. 
  • Slice the log into 12 equal pieces. I like using a sharp serrated bread knife for this. You can also use something like dental floss to cut the dough (see note 6 for more info).
  • Place the rolls cut side down inside the greased Casserole Pan. Cover the rolls with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and let the rolls rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until they double in size. 

Bake the Rolls

  • Preheat the oven to 375ºF and arrange an oven rack to the lower third position.
  • Make the egg wash by whisking an egg with 1 tablespoon of water or milk. Brush a thin layer of egg wash over the rolls. Sprinkle several pinches of sesame seeds over the rolls. Then, sprinkle several pinches of pork floss over the rolls. 
  • Bake the rolls for 27 to 30 minutes, until the tops of the rolls are lightly golden brown. Let the scallion and pork floss rolls cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before serving or transferring them to a cooling rack to cool some more. 
  • Store any remaining rolls in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for several days. To reheat, microwave the rolls on high heat for 15 seconds.

Notes

  1. If you are using instant yeast, you do not need to activate it. In other words, you do not need to stir the yeast with warmed milk. Simply add the instant yeast along with the other ingredients for the dough into the bowl of your stand mixer. That said, I still recommend warming up the milk in the microwave for 15 seconds so that the milk reaches room temperature. Then, start mixing and kneading the dough. 
  2. You can substitute the condensed milk with 2 tablespoons of instant milk powder and 3 tablespoons of sugar. If you don’t have milk powder, just use the sugar only.
  3. Scallions come in bunches of various sizes. If you find only small bunches of scallions in the grocery store, grab 2 or 3 bunches for this recipe.
  4. You can find pork floss in Asian supermarkets. They’re usually somewhere near the aisle with sauces.
  5. Microwave tangzhong directions: If this is your first time making tangzhong, I recommend using the saucepan method to figure out how it should look and feel. You have a lot more control with the saucepan method. To make the tangzhong in the microwave, heat the flour and water mixture for 30 seconds on high. Take the bowl out of the microwave, stir everything and check the consistency of the mixture. If the tangzhong is still quite runny, microwave it for another 10 seconds and check the consistency. Then, heat the mixture at 5-second intervals, stirring in between, until you get a thick paste. If your tangzhong has already started to thicken after the initial 30 seconds of heat, heat the mixture at 5-second intervals and stir the mixture until you get a paste. Be patient and resist the urge to stick the tangzhong in the microwave and heat it for a longer period. The tangzhong can easily overheat, leaving you with a stiff block of steamed flour.
  6. Dental Floss Cutting Method: Cut a piece of dental floss of a decent length. You don’t want it to be too short. Slide the floss under the dough log. Then, use your right hand to grab onto the left side of the floss and use your left hand to grab onto the right side of the floss. Pull the floss inwards towards the log, in opposite directions, until you cut the dough with the floss. Repeat until you have cut all 12 pieces. 
  7. Making the Dough Overnight: Right after you knead the dough in the stand mixer for 8 minutes, shape the dough into a ball. Then place the dough into a greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a layer of plastic and place it in the refrigerator overnight. You DO NOT need to let the dough rise before putting it in the refrigerator. When you are ready to shape the rolls the next day, take the dough out of the bowl and shape it right away. You DO NOT need to let the dough warm up to room temperature before rolling it out. Make sure to use the dough by the next day. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 38.1g | Protein: 7.5g | Fat: 11.8g | Saturated Fat: 4.7g | Cholesterol: 43.3mg | Sodium: 365mg | Fiber: 1.4g | Sugar: 6.8g
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