These colourful purple buns, which are used as hamburger buns for the Tocino Burger at PogiBoy in Washington, D.C., are soft and bouncy with a tight, fluffy crumb and make a fantastic foundation for the restaurant's famous sweet-and-spicy burger. Purple sweet potato powder and ube extract give the buns a vibrant colour, and the fat from the coconut milk gives them a tender mouthfeel. They make the perfect base for pulled pork, lobster rolls, hamburgers, and other dishes thanks to their gentle, delicate flavour, but the spicy-sweet pig patties in the Tocino Burger go especially well with them. When the buns are steaming, it's crucial to keep the steamer closed. In order to prevent deflation and creases, it's crucial to keep the steamer closed while the buns are in it and to refrain from peeking for at least 5 minutes as they cool.
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Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 cup water
⅓ cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 ½ tsp instant yeast
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp ube extract
3 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 tbsp if needed
½ cup purple sweet potato flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 ¼ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp fine sea salt
Cooking spray
Method:
In a medium microwave - safe bowl, mix 1 cup water and coconut milk. Warm on high for 30 to 40 seconds, or until temperature reaches roughly 110°F. Add the yeast, and then wait until it foams up, around five minutes. Butter and ube extract are stirred in. Set it aside.
In a stand mixer bowl with the dough hook attached, combine the all-purpose flour, purple sweet potato flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture gradually while the mixer is running at a low speed. For about a minute, beat on low speed to incorporate all dry ingredients. Increase the mixer's speed to medium, and beat for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and sticky. Add up to 2 tablespoons of extra flour, starting with 1, and mix until combined if the dough feels too sticky.
Form the dough into a ball and place it in a big bowl that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, allow the mixture to proof at room temperature for at least 40 minutes or as long as an hour, or until the volume has doubled.
Cut 8 squares of parchment paper, each measuring 4 inches. A 12-inch double-tier bamboo steamer should have parchment paper squares evenly placed across each tray. Set aside.
On a work surface that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray, turn out the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces (each weighing about 3 3/4 ounces). Place 1 dough ball on an oiled work surface using a hand that has been gently greased. Your hand should form a claw shape, and you should use the air pressure to form the dough into a tight ball. Place the ball in the bamboo steamer on the prepared square of parchment. With the remaining dough pieces, repeat the process, greasing your hands as necessary.
Put the lid on the steamer and stack the bamboo trays. Let the dough proof at room temperature for about 45 minutes, or until the volume has expanded by about 1 ½ times. After the dough has been proving for about 30 minutes, add water to a wok or big skillet to a depth of 2 inches, and then heat to a boil over medium-high.
After the buns have proofed, place the steamer over a pot of boiling water and slightly split the lid to create a 1/4-inch gap for steam to escape. Cook for 25 minutes with the lid closed and the heat on medium-high. Remove from heat; let buns cool for five minutes without opening lid.
Remove the lid, the trays, and the steamer from the wok. Allow buns to cool somewhat (15 minutes) or completely (30 minutes). For burgers, cut buns in half horizontally. Buns can be frozen for up to a month or kept for up to a day in an airtight container or plastic bag.
