Gai mei bao or Chinese Cocktail buns, Hong Kong-style sweet bun filled with shredded coconut. It is one of several iconic types of baked goods originating from Hong Kong.
Sweet buns | Chinese Cuisine | Yeast bread | Sweet Yeast bread | Cocktail buns | Sweet coconut filled buns | How to bake gai mei bao | Chinese Gai mei Bao recipe | Step by step instructions to bake Chinese cocktail buns
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Love for Breads
Who doesn't love a perfectly baked bread. Ask anyone who bakes at home, they could go on and on about how lovely it is to see a dough become a beautiful loaf of bread.
My love for baking grew seeing my kids enjoy home baked stuff more than the store bought ones.
We started with the favorites first pizza! i still make this pesto pizza, at least once a month. My personal favorite is focaccia, we then improvised and tried carrot focaccia , focaccia caprese and stuffed focaccia , with a big bowl of soup, these breads were a super hit and a complete meal too.
Once i gathered courage and support of my people at home, i ventured into making more yeast breads. Like this orange swirl bread, fougaase and the hard ones for someone with yeast fear, croissants. All thanks to numerous bread baking groups, in the early times of food blogging.
If you love similar coconut filled buns, check this Pan de coco and these Fijian coconut buns.
Chinese Cocktail Buns | Gai Mei Bao
Cocktail buns is a Hong Kong-style sweet bun with a filling of shredded coconut. It is one of several iconic types of baked goods originating from Hong Kong.
The cocktail bun was first created in the 1950s in Hong Kong by bakery owners who didn't want to waste unsold buns. They used day-old buns, sugar, and coconut to make a delicious filling, which they wrapped in fresh bread dough to create the first cocktail bun.
Coconut and butter or margarine were then included in the filling recipe, becoming essential ingredients in the cocktail bun filling. These buns are typically 6 to 8 inches long and 2 to 3 inches high, similar in shape to a small baguette. Chinese bakeries often offer cocktail buns, along with other beloved sweet buns like the pineapple bun, which also originated in Hong Kong.
I hope the idea of using day-old buns is still popular, it's a great way to reduce food waste! With so much food being thrown away these days, we should continue traditions like this! Something to think about!
Ingredients to Make Chinese Coconut Buns
- Flour : I have used bread flour to make these sweet coconut stuffed buns.
- Liquid : The dough for this Chinese sweet buns is kneaded with milk. If you are vegan, try using a plant based milk. In my personal opinion milk adds richness to the dough, if you aren't allergic to milk, go ahead and use it.
- The stuffing : These soft and fluffy bao buns use a delish filling of coconut, milk powder, sugar, butter and tutti frutti.
- Yeast : I have used instant yeast. I prefer instant yeast to active dry yeast. If using the other, do activate it in warm water for 15 minutes and then proceed with bread making.
How I baked Gai Mei Bao
Please check recipe card below for exact measurements of each ingredient used and also for the detailed instructions
- I kneaded the dough in my food processor. You can also knead it by hand.
- In to the food processor bowl take flour, corn starch, yeast, sugar and salt together. Run it to mix the ingredients well.
- To this flour mix, add milk and knead a soft dough. Remove the dough and let it rest in an well oiled bowl for a hour for it to double.
- While the dough is resting, mix all the ingredients given under stuffing together and keep it aside until use.
- Once the dough doubles, remove to a working surface, punch down the excess air, knead it for a couple of minutes.
- Divide the dough into 6 portions. Roll it in to an elongated shape, stuff it with the filling, take care not to overstuff.
- Once shaped, let it rest for another 45 minutes to double. Now brush the tops with milk, sprinkle sesame seeds.
- Bake it in a preheated oven @ 200 C for 18-20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
- Remove it on a wire rack once done, brush the tops with honey glae. Let it cool well. Enjoy it warm. These coconut buns, makes a delish snack and hearty breakfast.
yes, absolutely. You can knead the dough by hand, but do remember the dough would be sticky and little messy to handle. But i wouldn't mind the mess for these delish stuffed buns.
Yes you can use active dry yeast. But it has to be activated before using. Activate it in warm water for 15 minutes. If the yeast is good, it would nicely foam up. Once ready, proceed with bread making.
I prefer to refrigerate the buns. They stay good in an air-tight container for 5-6 days. If serving from the fridge, reheat it in the microwave for 30 seconds and serve warm. The buns also freeze well for 2-3 months, though i have never tried personally.
Gai Mei Bao | Chinese Cocktail Buns | Chinese Coconut Buns
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Convection oven
- Sheet pan or a large aluminum takeaway container for baking the buns
- Food Processor for making the bread dough optional
Ingredients
For the Bread Dough
- 1 cup warm milk
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 cups bread flour
- 1 ½ tablespoon corn-starch
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- ¾ teaspoon salt
For the Filling
- 50 grams butter soft at room temperature
- 1 ½ tablespoon caster sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon milk powder
- ⅓ cup fresh grated coconut
- 3 tablespoon tutti frutti optional, not included in the original recipe
For the Topping
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds for sprinkling
For the Glaze
- 1 tablespoon honey mixed with 1 teaspoon of warm water
Instructions
Lets Make the Dough
- I used my food processor to knead the dough. Take flour, corn starch, yeast, sugar and salt in the processor bowl. Run it for a minute for the ingredients to mix well. 2 cups bread flour
- To this flour mix, add warm milk in batches and knead a soft and smooth dough. You might not require all of the milk, there might be 1 or 2 tablespoon milk leftover after kneading the dough1 cup warm milk
- It is a pretty easy dough to knead. The dough will be little sticky to touch, but doesn't stick to the processor bowl. Remove the dough to a well oiled bowl. let it sit for an hour or until it doubles in size.
Make the filling
- While the dough is resting, let us make the filling. Mix all the ingredients given under filling in a bowl and keep aside until use. 50 grams butter
Let's Shape the dough
- Once the dough doubles, remove it on to the working surface, dust the area with flour. Punch down the extra air, knead the dough for a couple of minutes and divide into 6 equal portions.
- Working on one portion at a time, Roll out each portion into a oval disc, place a tablespoon of filling in the center, bring the edges together like a sail of a ship, and tuck the top ends on top of it and shape it to a oval shaped bread.
- Take care not to stuff much and seal the edges properly. If not done well, the butter might ooze out of the filling and your buns will be floating on a buttery puddle! 🙂
Let's Proof and Bake
- Let the shaped buns rest, covered, for another 45 minutes. Brush the tops of the bun with milk and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top.1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds for sprinkling
- Preheatthe oven to 190C and bake for 22-25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
- Once done, remove the buns on to a wire rack, brush the hot buns with honey glaze and let it cool. 1 tablespoon honey mixed with 1 teaspoon of warm water
- Serve it warm along with tea or as snack. We had it as snack and i packed some for my elder one breakfast the next day too
Notes
- I made the dough the previous night, proofed it for an hour and then couldn't bake it immediately, so i refrigerated the dough and baked it next day morning.
- If doing so, remove the dough from refrigerator 2 hours prior to baking.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
I m not a Doctor or a Nutritionist The Nutrition information provided above comes from the plugin and is only an estimate.
Srivalli
Those buns have turned out so good Priya..I somehow love coconut filling..makes me remember my childhood!
vaishali sabnani
I am sure coconut filled buns must be super super delicious, could you pass on just one Priya:)
Gayathri Kumar
These cocktail buns look awesome Priya..
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
We shop regularly at an Vietnamese store here and these buns are so popular there. My husband buys a few everytime we shop there. I am definitely trying these for him.
Harini R
Coconut filled rolls? My fav. I am definitely baking these..
Mayuri Patel
Priya, I remember baking these Chinese Cocktail Buns. They are so delicious. Your recipe is a reminder that I haven't made these in a long time. Tempted to bake them right away. Like how you've added tutti frutti.
Seema Sriram
The bakers in Malaysia used to make these and these are brilliant! I am so glad to have the recipe, will surely try it.
Renu
Wow this looks so good and perfect to take for picnics or best for parties. I am bookmarking this to try soon.
Liz
These were amazing! Definitely satisfied my craving!!
Ria
This is such a comforting and satisfying dish! My family loved it!
Jane
These buns are so yum!
Kate Hahnel
This Chinese Coconut Bun is our family's all time favorite.
Katy
These turned out so well - never would have thought I could make these. Thank you!