Bakery-Style Hot Dog Buns

For key visual process steps, refer to the body of the blog post.

Make the tangzhong:

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine together the milk and flour.
2. Whisk until the mixture thickens, about 3-4 minutes. The paste will appear quite thick and gluey.
3. Remove from heat. Let cool slightly.

Make the dough:

1. Combine the yeast, sugar and warm milk in a bowl. Give it a stir and leave for a few minutes until the yeast becomes bubbly.
2. Add the flour, salt, egg and oil into a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook attachment.
3. Pour in the activated yeast mixture, lightly cooled tangzhong mixture, and knead until the dough becomes smooth, shiny and elastic. The dough will be slightly tacky and you may want to finish kneading the dough with your hands.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a cloth or plastic wrap.
5. Let the dough rise in a warm location, anywhere from 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size, depending on how warm your kitchen is.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C.
7. Divide the buns into 10 equal pieces, about 60g each.
8. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into an oval shape about 7" in length.
9. Coil up the dough lengthwise, forming a log shape and pinch the seams together.
10. Place seam side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
11. Repeat with the remaining and cover with a cloth or plastic wrap. Leave to rest until slightly puffy.
12. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the tops with milk.
13. Bake at 350°F/177°C for 18-20 minutes, until buns are lightly golden in colour.
14. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.