Making 菠蘿麵包There are two distinct parts to making 菠蘿麵包. The base, the "bread" part, is first mixed in a bread machine, and the top is made and combined with the base more traditionally by hand. Here we go. ![]() Mei-O has to carefully consult her recipe before starting. ![]() She actually has two recipes, an English one and a Chinese one, that she goes over. ![]() She starts by loading the bread machine with the ingredients for the bread base: bread flour, quick rise yeast, sugar, warm water, margarine, milk, an egg, salt, and powdered milk. (If you want to try to make these, it's probably best to contact Mei-O for clarification of the recipe and the ingredient amounts and even the bread machine setting.) ![]() Once everything is loaded, ... ![]() ...she starts the bread machine to knead the dough and allow it to rise to the right consistency. It takes about an hour. ![]() While the base is rising, Mei-O butters and flours some cookie sheets, getting them ready for baking. ![]() Then she starts mixing the ingredients for the tops; first the margarine, powdered sugar, and an egg, ... ![]() ...mixing everything together, ... ![]() ...then adding the dry milk and flour, ... ![]() ...then beating some more... ![]() ...until you can turn it into this. You're done with the top prep for now. ![]() When the bread base is done rising, take it out, ... ![]() ...roll it out like this, ... ![]() ...slice it into 16 pieces, ... ![]() ...and shape them and place them on a cookie sheet like this. ![]() Then it's back to the tops. Cut them into 16 pieces too, and... ![]() ...flatten them by hand to make little hats for the bread bases... ![]() ...like this. ![]() Now score the tops like this. This is to make it look like a pineapple which gives it its name 菠蘿麵包, pineapple bread! ![]() Finally, separate the yolk from an egg, add a little milk and mix it well, ... ![]() ...and brush it on top of each pineapple bread. ![]() Place one tray in the oven at 375° for around 15 minutes. Check in on them occasionally. When they're a beautiful golden color, they're done. ![]() Complete the second cookie sheet, and when that one's done, you'll have 16 delicious 菠蘿麵包 (minus one we already tasted)! Yummm! |