Crispy Bottom Honey Sesame Buns

Grease a baking tin measuring 19 cm x 19 cm x 5 cm and set it aside.

In a Thermomix® mixing bowl, combine 180 g cold milk, 3 g dry yeast, 25 g caster sugar, 250 g bread flour, 25 g milk powder, and 3 g salt. Knead the mixture for knead | 3 min.

Add 20 g unsalted butter and 5 g honey to the mixture. Continue kneading for an additional knead | 3 min. Once done, transfer the dough onto a pastry mat. Wrap the dough with the pastry mat like a parcel and let it proof for 45 minutes or until it has doubled in size. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix together 20 g white sesame seeds and 20 g caster sugar. In another bowl, mix well the 20g honey and 20g water.

After the dough has proofed, punch it down to deflate it. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and shape each portion into a ball. Allow these dough balls to rest for 15 minutes.

Roll out each dough ball into a flat rectangle, approximately 8 cm x 12 cm in size. Roll each rectangle up tightly from the shorter side to form a log. Repeat this process with all of the dough balls.

Cut each dough log in half, and then dip the cut side into the honey-water mixture (made by mixing 20 g honey and 20 g water) and then into the white sesame seeds and caster sugar mixture.

Arrange the dough pieces, cut-side down, in rows of four in the prepared baking tin. Cover them with either a pastry mat or cling film and allow them to proof for 30-45 minutes or until they have doubled in size. Preheat your oven to 180°C .

Before baking, brush each bun with some egg wash and sprinkle white sesame seeds on top. Place small cubes of unsalted butter in between the buns.

Bake the buns at 180°C (356°F) for 30-35 minutes, or until they turn light golden brown. Once baked, transfer the buns to a cooling rack. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the bun surface with the honey-water mixture. Allow the buns to cool completely before serving. Enjoy your Honey Sesame Pull-Apart Buns!