20/08/2018 Overnight Soft Bun Dough (16-hour poolish version) 16小時冷藏液種麵糰 | Corner Café

150g lukewarm water

0.5g (1/8 teaspoon) instant yeast

Main Dough:
250g bread flour
100g cake flour (or plain flour if desired)
15g milk powder
50g caster sugar
6g (1 1/4 teaspoons) salt
5g (1 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
1 egg, lightly beaten
75g (approx.) lukewarm water, adjust as necessary
50g butter, cut into small cubes
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[Preparation]
1. For the poolish, mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl together until incorporated (pic #1). Cover with cling
film and let it prove for about 1 hour in a warm place (pic #2), then place into the refrigerator to chill
(preferably at 5°C but not strictly, a couple of degrees off is still fine) for at least 16 hours (pic #3); it should
be bubbly at this stage. Let poolish return to room temperature, about half an hour, before using.

2. Sift bread flour, cake flour, milk powder, caster sugar and instant dry yeast onto the working surface and
mix well. Form the flour mixture into a well and add lightly beaten egg, room-temperature poolish and salt,
then gradually add just enough lukewarm water to form into a slightly sticky, soft dough. Knead for 10
minutes until smooth and elastic. (You can do the kneading in a breadmaker if you own one.) If you are
kneading by hand, the dough also needs to be thrown onto the working surface once every few minutes
between kneading to improve the dough structure. (I usually just pick up the dough to about head-high and
throw it down onto the working surface 10 to 20 times every few minutes between kneading.)
3. Finally knead in the room-temperature butter, a cube at a time, until incorporated. (In many cookbooks,
they mentioned that the dough at this stage should be able to be pulled and stretched into membrane –
“window pane test”, but it’s hard to achieve with hand kneading because the dough does not heat up as much
as when using machine. I usually stop kneading when the dough stretches like chewing gum when pulled!)
Form the dough into a round ball and let it rise in a warm place (preferably at about 26°C – 28°C) until at
least double or nearly triple in size in a large greased bowl, covered with cling film (should take about 1 hour
in optimum warm tempearture, longer in winter months). To test if the dough has risen properly, dip a finger
into bread or plain flour and poke down into the centre of the dough as far as your finger will go and pull out
again – the hole should remain if it is ready. If the dough springs back, then it is not ready, continue to prove
further.
4. Punch down, knead briefly and form into a ball shape. Then divide into 12 or 16 equal portions. The
easiest way is to first divide equally into 4 larger portions first, then divide each of these again into thirds (for
12 portions) or quarters (for 16 portions) each. Form each into balls and let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Shape and fill the buns according to recipe. Place all finished buns on a greased baking sheet, lightly cover
with cling film, and let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1 hour in warm weather, longer in
winter months).
6. Brush with eggwash if the recipe calls for it and bake in preheated 190°C oven for about 12 to 15 minutes,
or until golden brown.

Soft Plain Rolls 冷藏液種餐包

To shape plain rolls (for 12 portions):
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20/08/2018 Overnight Soft Bun Dough (16-hour poolish version) 16小時冷藏液種麵糰 | Corner Café

1. Follow preparations as above up to step 4. Roll each dough ball into carrot shape of about 15cm long (pic
#4). Roll out using a rolling pin to about 30cm length (pic #5), then roll up from the wider end like shaping a
croissant (pic #6).

2. Place the shaped rolls (pic #7) evenly apart, sealed ends down, on a greased or lined 30cm × 25cm slice tin
or baking tray (pic #8), lightly cover with cling film, and let rise in a warm place until double in size (pic #9).
Brush with eggwash (using one lightly beaten egg) and bake in preheated 180°C oven for about 22 minutes,
or until golden brown (pic #10).

Taste: Flavourful, soft and fluffy soft buns

Consume: Served warm or at room temperature
Storage: May be kept in a container at room temperature in cool weather for 2 to 3 days, or up to a week in
airtight container in the refrigerator & re-heat before serving
Recipe Reference(s): 16-hour poolish recipe from the Chinese cookbook ‘麵包教室：5°C冰種的美味’ by
許正忠 & 柯文正

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