2cupsAll Purpose Flour/Maida(loosely packed & heaped) 1 cup = 250ml
1teaspoonActive Instant Dry Yeast
2tablespoonMilk Powder
1tablespoonSugar
2tablespoonButter(1.5 tablespoon for making dough + ½ tablespoon for slathering on buns)
½cupWarm Milk + extra for coating the buns
⅓cupWarm Water(~105°- 110° F)
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Instructions
Proofing the yeast –
In a bowl, add ⅓ cup of warm water and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Mix well until the sugar has dissolved. Add Active Instant Dry Yeast and mix it well. Let this sit undisturbed for 3-5 mins.
The yeast should turn frothy and double up. This means that the yeast is working.
Preparing the dough –
In a mixing bowl, add 2 cups of (loosely packed and heaped) all purpose flour along with milk powder and salt. Mix it well.
Add the proofed yeast mixture followed by ½ cup of warm milk.
Mix it all together and form a ball of dough.
Kneading the dough –
Empty the dough on to a clean kitchen counter. Add 1.5 tablespoon of soft butter.
Start kneading the dough by pressing & stretching it using the heel of the palm, pushing it away from you. Fold the dough, turn it by a quarter again bringing it towards you and continue the stretching process. Repeat this for 5-7 mins at the least until the dough becomes smooth.
Don’t add extra dough even if the dough is sticky, keep kneading without a break for 5-7 mins at the least and the dough will be firm but soft. When pressed in, the dough should bounce back. Stop kneading immediately.
Resting & Re-Kneading the dough –
Place the dough in a well-greased bowl and cover it with cling film.
Leave it in a warm place for 60 mins or until it has doubled up.
Slightly punch down the proofed dough and empty it onto the working area.
Knead the dough again for another 2-3 mins following the same approach as before.
Shaping the Buns –
Cut the kneaded dough into two halves and roughly shape them into logs.
Cut each log into 4 equal parts. Be careful as to not tear down the dough but cut it with a sharp knife so that the gluten is not affected.
Roughly shape the balls and make sure all of them are of same size.
To shape the bun, take a ball, slightly stretch it tucking the ends below and roll it gently between your palms until it is a perfect round.
Place the shaped balls in a well-greased baking pan at 2-3 cm distance from one another.
Rest them again for the second rise in a warm place until the buns have doubled up in size. This should take about 20-30 mins.
Apply a layer of milk on top of the raised buns.
Baking the Buns –
Bake the buns in a pre-heated oven at 180° C for 18-20 mins until the sides and top are golden brown. Brush a layer of milk again towards the end for even browning.
Brush the buns with ½ tablespoon of butter immediately after taking them out of the oven.
The buns will have a hard top soon after removing from oven but will soften up as they cool down.
Slightly warm up the pav bun by toasting it in butter when ready to serve. Store in an airtight container in fridge for longer shelf life.