Chinese Hot Dog Buns

Prepare the dough

1. Combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt, milk, and egg in the bowl of a stand mixer (*Footnote 2). Mix together with a pair of chopsticks or spatula, until the liquid is fully absorbed and a shaggy dough forms. Attach the dough hook and turn the mixer on, gradually increase to setting 4. Knead for 10 minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl.
2. Add the softened butter. Knead at speed 4 for another 5 to 10 minutes. After 5 minutes, pinch a small section of the dough using both of your hands, it should form a thin, semi-transparent film without tearing. Knead a bit longer if needed.
3. Prepare a large bowl and spray with a thin layer of oil.
4. Once the dough has finished kneading, grease your hands with some oil, lift the dough from the mixing bowl and tuck it a few times to make a round ball, then place into the large oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest until the size doubles. It can take anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes depending on the room temperature.

Assemble the hot dog buns

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dust your work surface with flour. Once the dough is fully risen, transfer it onto the work surface. Flatten it out into a 8”x 10” (20 cm x 25 cm) rectangle. Along the 10” (25 cm) side, divide the dough into 10 equal strips.
2. Work on the hot dogs one at a time. Take a strip of dough and pinch it onto one side of a hot dog, then wrap the dough around the hot dog like a spiral until it reaches the other end of the dog. Place the wrapped hot dog on the lined baking tray, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining hot dogs.
3. Cover the buns and let rise until 1.5 times in size, about 30 minutes. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
4. Once the buns have risen, gently brush them with the evaporated milk.

Cook the store the buns

1. Bake at 350°F (176°C) for 15 to 20 minutes, until the buns are golden brown. Let the buns cool slightly before serving. You can serve the buns hot or at room temperature.
2. For leftover buns, transfer them to a large ziplock bag once they have cooled completely. Store in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, or in the freezer for 1 to 2 months.
3. To reheat, you can warm the refrigerated buns in the microwave or in the oven. For frozen buns, you can either thaw them then heat them in the oven, or heat them in the oven directly at 300°F (148°C). If heating frozen buns, the bun will heat up faster than the hot dog part. One thing you can do is take the buns out once the bread part is heated, remove the hot dog from the bun (it can be done easily), and pop it back in the oven for a few more minutes. Assemble it again once both parts are heated through.