Pandan Kaya Buns… or not

This is the story of the Pandan Kaya Buns that contains no pandan and no kaya. Thus said, let me begin by saying that whoever is able to solely use pandan infusion to flavor their bread or filling without the use of artificial flavoring is a genius.

I have always been intrigued by the use of pandan as a flavoring. This grass is very fragrant and wonderful to use with poultry and rice but as a flavoring IN bread? I set out to try my hand in using this humble grass by substituting a pandan infused liquid for part of the water in my favorite soft dough recipe. I boiled down a big bush of pandan leaves and squeezed every drop from it. It looked pretty promising, the smell and color was excellent. So I added it to my recipe, mixed it, kneaded it and baked it. The result? The flavor, aroma and taste was baked out of the bread. Next I tried to incorporate it as a filling, still with no success. I do not want to use any artificial flavoring and to date I know of no natural pandan flavor available here that tastes remotely like pandan so… after 3 tries I decided to scratch the pandan and just stick with the kaya. Having established that, I set out to research just what exactly IS kaya. From the way it was described, it sounded a lot like coconut jam (it’s hard to judge from just pics). I used a commercial coco jam and the result was a disaster. Most of the filling leaked out, but it tasted good! It looked ugly but my family still ate all of it. I refused to try it again because I didn’t think making kaya by hand was worth the effort (maybe another time) so I also axed the kaya and opted for the more familiar coconut filling. I had some good angel flake coconut in the fridge so I used that instead, I just mixed it with condensed milk. I succeeded in making an up-scale pan de coco disguised as pandan kaya buns.

This can also be formed into other shapes and other fillings may be used (or left plain). The coconut milk gives the bread a creamy texture and surprisingly, this bread keeps well even at room temperature. Because of the coconut milk it was necessary to add a second rising to help give the yeast a boost. In spite of everything my family still calls it by it’s original name… here it is:

Pandan Kaya Buns or Not

2 kilos bread flour (sift after weighing)
50 grams potato starch
3 tsp SAF yeast (active dry yeast)
400 grams sugar
2 tsp salt
1 cup coconut milk*
4 cups +- very cold, iced water**
2 medium sized whole eggs
200 grams shortening

Filling:
dessicated coconut mixed with condensed milk
Wash: Evaporated milk OR 1 egg yolk plus 2 tbs fresh milk

1. Sift the bread flour AFTER weighing, then dump into the mixing bowl together with the potato starch. Mix lightly with fingers. Prepare all your ingredients near your mixer so you don’t forget to add anything. Grease a very large bowl (or clean basin) to place your dough in for proofing).
2. Using a dough hook, mix the flour mixture at lowest speed. Add yeast and make sure yeast is mixed in well. Sprinkle in the sugar, continue mixing. Mix in half the water, all of the eggs and then the coconut milk. Continue mixing until all the liquid has been absorbed.
3. Add the salt. Now add the remaining water by trickles. If the weather is cool and dry the amount of water stated in the recipe might be exact or you might need less, But if the weather is warm and humid, prepare to add more than the recipe stated.***
4. Finally, add the shortening by pieces to lubricate the dough – turn up the speed to second. Don’t be afraid if the dough looks very wet and won’t form a ball – IT SHOULD BE very slack and soft, even sticky – this is your desired consistency. It should slop around the bottom of your bowl and WILL NOT form a ball. Check the dough by pinching a piece and stretching it gently. If it forms a thin sheet before gently breaking or coming apart then it’s ready. If it doesn’t, return to the bowl and continue mixing at second speed until it’s ready.
5. Place in your greased basin, turn the dough (so that the surface is greased also) and cover with a thin sheet of plastic OR cheesecloth OR dish towel. Place inside a cupboard OR inside your turned-off oven OR if you have a proofer place it in there but don’t turn it on. Let it rise at leisure from anywhere to 1 hour up to 1 ½ hours until double and very puffy.
6. Punch down and gently turn over to evenly distribute the yeast. Cover and set it aside to rise again for another 30 – 45 minutes until double.
7. Combine your dessicated coconut and condensed milk. The consistency must be very thick. Set aside in fridge.
8. Punch down dough gently. Using a bench knife cut the dough into quarters. Working quickly, cut each quarter into 50 gram pieces, set aside. You must work quickly or the dough will rise on you. Round each piece and cover with a large piece of greased plastic or clean dish towel and let it rest for 10 minutes (to make it easier to shape later).
9. Pin each piece into rounds (the edges thinner than the middle) and place your filling in the middle. Be careful not to get any filling on the edges or the dough will not seal. Gather the edges together with your fingers and carefully seal, do not press down or the filling will ooze out. Make sure that it is well sealed or the filling will ooze and burn on your pan (see picture). Place seal side UP in greased sheets. Leave about 2 inches space between buns to give it room to expand OR place in 8 – 9” round cake pans with 2” high sides (see pic).
10. Paint the tops with your wash. Set aside (uncovered is okay) until very puffy but not necessarily doubled – about 1 hour.
11. After 1 hour, preheat your oven to 375*F and paint your buns with the wash again.
12. Bake your buns for 25 minutes (turn your pans or sheets AFTER 15 minutes into baking time). Remove IMMEDIATELY from sheets or pans and cool on wire racks.

Cool completely before storing in individual plastic bags. Store at room temperature for 1 week, keep in refrigerator for longer storage.

Yield: Approximately 75 pieces

*To make 1 cup coconut milk: Grate 1 coconut and add ½ cup water. Mix and squeeze through a very fine sieve (strain again if necessary).

**Because this bread was made in a commercial setting and I used a large mixer that produced warmth while mixing, it was necessary to use iced water instead of the traditional warm water. Just finely chop some ice (or crack ice cubes), place in measuring cup and add water up to the level specified in the recipe. Add everything to the dough, even the bits of ice.

***The amount of water needed varies greatly and is dependent on the state of the weather, the age of your flour and even the kind of bread flour you use (bleached, unbleached, organic etc). Just keep in mind the desired consistency – which is soft and slack. If the dough forms a ball then just add some more cool water by trickles.