Pav Buns - Dinner Rolls Made Using Tangzhong Method

Homemade Pav buns/dinner rolls with some steaming hot bhaaji is the best thing that could happen. I have been making dinner rolls before and they come out quite well, but this is the best one I have made in a while. I have used the Tangzhong method to make whole wheat bread before and the texture of the bread was just amazing. When I saw this recipe on Gayathri's space using the Tangzhong methid, I wanted to make the pav buns right away. This recipe just was amazing and the pav buns just disappeared.

We are beginning our 4th week of the Mega Marathon this week. I cannot believe how many new baking tips and recipes, I have accumulated from this series. Baking had always been one of my biggest interest and this marathon really helped a lot.

These individual buns/rolls were just perfect by itself with some butter. I had to hide it until dinner to use this for Pav bhaji as the kids kept coming back to eat more. The procedure is very similar to regular white bread, but adding the roux mixture also referred to as the Tangzhong aids in the sodt texture of the bread.

Preparation time – 20 minutes plus 3 hours proofing time
Cooking time – about 25 minutes
Difficulty level – easy

• All purpose flour – 1/6th Cup
• Milk – ½ cup

For the dough –

• All purpose flour – 2 ½ cups
• Tangzhong – all from above
• Sugar – 3 tbsp
• Salt – 1 tsp
• Instant yeast – 2 tsp
• Baking soda – a pinch
• Yogurt (plain) – ¼ cup
• Butter – 3 tbsp
• Luke warm water – about ½ cup (more or less might be needed)

Procedure to make Pav Buns –

To make the Tangzhong –

• In a sauce pan combine the all purpose flour and the milk and whisk well to break any lumps.
• Cook it on low to medium heat until the mixture thickens and forms a semi solid dough.
• Remove from flame and cover with a cling wrap making sure that the wrap touches the top of the tangzhong. This prevents from skin to form on the surface.

• Allow the tangzhong to cool to room temperature. This mixture can be made a day ahead and refrigerated as well.

To make the dough -    

• Add the baking soda to the yogurt and whisk well.
• I made the dough in the stand mixer. To the bowl of the mixer add the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Mix well and make a well at the center.
• Add the yogurt mixture, all of the tangzhong and about ½ cup of lukewarm water and mix to form a sticky dough.
• Add the butter and then knead until you have a soft and smooth dough (about 8 minutes).

• Place the dough in a well oiled bowl, wrap it with a plastic wrap and let it rise until double in volume (about 1 – 1 ½ hours).

Shaping the Pav Buns –

• Grease a 9 x 13 baking tray and keep it aside.
• Once the dough has doubled, punch it back gently and then divide into 4 equal parts.
• Now divide each quarter into 6 pieces to get a total of 24.

• Roll each piece into a taut ball and place it in the greased baking tray, barely toughing each other. Wrap with cling wrap.
• Let it rise again for about an hour or until double in size. You will notice that the balls puff up and fill in the space well.

Baking the Pav buns –

• Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Brush the top of the buns with milk and bake for about 20 – 25 minutes or until the buns are golden brown.
• Brush the baked buns with butter as soon as they come out of the oven.

• Let it cool on a wire rack and serve!