Sweet, savory, and kinda spicy? Count me in! 🍯🌶️
Corned beef is usually served in Filipino breakfasts with a plateful of garlic rice, but this is one way to take it on-the-go—packed into a deliciously soft milk bun, glazed with some spicy honey butter. YUM.
Packed with both carbs and protein, it’s a filling and equally flavorful breakfast or snack option for every day. Trust us when we say your day will instantly be brighter.
Let us know if you try it out in the comments below. Also check this out on TikTok!
INGREDIENTS
Corned Beef Buns
- 385g bread flour
- 60g granulated sugar
- 7g fine salt
- 6g instant dry yeast
- 230g whole milk
- 55g egg
- 55g unsalted butter, softened
- 380g corned beef
- Extra flour for kneading, see tips.
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp. water
Spicy Honey Glaze
- 30g unsalted butter, melted
- 15g honey
- Chili oil, to taste
METHOD
- MIX. In your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix bread flour, sugar, and instant dry yeast. Stream in milk and egg, and knead until combined. Add softened butter, and knead on low-medium speed until absorbed. Lastly, add salt.
- KNEAD. Starting on medium speed, gradually increase to high speed and knead until the dough is smooth, stretchy, and passes the windowpane test. This step can take 10-20 minutes, depending on the strength of your mixer. See tips.
- PROOF. Shape the dough into a ball, then place into a large bowl. Cover with cling wrap and allow to proof in a warm area for 60 minutes or until at least doubled in volume. (Note: Proofing takes longer in cool weather!)
- COOK & PREP. While the dough is fermenting, cook corned beef in a pan over medium heat until dry and flaky, making sure to remove excess moisture. Set corned beef aside to cool. In a separate bowl, mix melted butter, honey, and chili oil to taste. Set glaze aside.
- DIVIDE. After proofing, uncover the dough and punch down the gases. Divide the dough into 14 equal pieces, about 55-60g each.
- SHAPE. With a rolling pin, flatten each piece to about ¼-inch thick, then scoop a heaped tablespoon of corned beef onto the center. Seal and roll into a ball, then place seam-side down, spaced apart on parchment-lined trays.
- PROOF. Cover the buns loosely with cling wrap and proof for 30 minutes or until doubled in volume. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 180°C.
- EGG WASH. Beat egg and mix with water, then lightly brush on the proofed buns.
- BAKE & GLAZE. Bake the buns at 180°C. After about 10 minutes, brush the buns with the spicy honey glaze. Return to the oven to continue baking for 5-10 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven, then immediately brush a final layer of spicy honey glaze. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!
TIPS
How do I know when to stop kneading?
The total kneading time is highly variable. Factors such as the strength and size of your mixer, the brand of your bread flour, and more can affect this step. It’s important to note that the main objective of kneading is to build structure through gluten development.
Follow these visual cues, and you’re in for a successful batch:
- The dough is much smoother.
- The dough is very stretchy and less sticky.
- The dough passes the windowpane test.
If after 10 minutes of kneading your dough is still very sticky, you can sprinkle small amounts of flour, about a pinch at a time.
Any tips for shaping?
After flattening your dough portions with a rolling pin, use your fingers to flatten the edges slightly thinner. This allows you to have a smoother seam at the bottom of your buns.
How spicy should the glaze be?
Adjust according to your preference! I did about 1-2 teaspoons of chili oil in my spicy honey glaze, and it paired well with my choice of corned beef (Delimondo Chili Garlic).
Got any other variations I can try?
With a sweet and soft milk bread base, this recipe can easily be altered to suit your savory filling of choice. Try char siu, ham and cheese, and more!
Thank you for checking out my recipes! Let me know when you try them out. If you have any questions, comment below or reach me on TikTok / Instagram!
