Checkerboard Bubble Cheese Bun (SSL)

My checkerboard bubble cheese buns were inspired by my FB friend Barry Apek's 6x6=36 mini buns. I could not match his 36-buns record, as my 20cm square pan could only hold 25 buns. Or should I say, those were the smallest dough, my fat fingers could shape 😜

Instead of a tray of plain single flavour buns, I added cocoa powder to about half of the dough, and wrapped each dough ball with cheese. The milk dough ball held a Laughing Cow soft cheese cubes, while the cocoa dough ball held a candy-size cheddar cheese cube. 

Yield: 25 mini buns in one 20cm square pan

Pan size: 20 cm square pan

Raw dough weight: 523g

Baking temperature: Preheat oven to 200℃, lower rack, bake at 180℃ for 8 minutes, reduce to 160℃ for 10 minutes, turn off oven and continue to bake for 3~5 minutes. 

Sweet Stiff Levain (SSL)

Ingredients

25g cool boiled water

10g raw sugar

20g natural yeast, 100% hydration*

50g unbleached bread flour

* 20g natural yeast can be replaced by 10g bread flour + 10g water + 1/8 tsp instant dry yeast

Let the sweet stiff levain stands in room temperature for about 6~8 hours, or triple in volume, before adding to dough. 

sweet stiff levain (👈click to access the preparation method)

Soy Milk Dough

Ingredient

A

180g bread flour

20g spelt flour/plain flour

30g raw sugar

1g instant dry yeast

pinch of vanillin powder, optional

B

103~105g sweet stiff levain Pull SSL into smaller portions after adding to the flour mixture to facilitate kneading.

15g multigrain soy pulp, optional

15g beaten egg

110g sweetened soy milk

20g whipping cream, cold

10g water, cold (to be added depending on dough condition)

 

C

3g low-sodium fine salt

D

10g unsalted butter, softened

Cocoa Dough

5g cocoa powder

~5g water

Cheese fillings

13 cubes Laughing Cow Belcube

12 Anchor cheddar candy cheese

Directions

Knead the dough following your preferred method till reaching window pane.

1. As 25 is an odd number, so I cannot divide the dough evenly into 2 parts. This is how I calculate and divide my soy milk dough.

Soy milk dough = 513g

Final dough weight: Soy milk dough + 5g cocoa powder + 5g water = 523g

Calculate individual dough weight: 523g / 25 = 20.92g

13 soy milk dough weight= 20.92 x 13 = 272g

12 cocoa milk dough weight = 20.92 x 12 = 251g

Cut out about 272g of soy milk dough and keep in an oiled plastic bag. /Squeeze out the air, and tie a loose knot at the end. Cover with a lid, and keep the soy milk dough in the fridge.

Add 5g cocoa powder and 5g water to the remaining soy milk dough( about 241g). Knead into a smooth cocoa dough and keep in another oiled plastic bag. /Squeeze out the air, and tie a loose knot at the end. Keep both the soy milk dough and cocoa dough in the fridge. Let the dough undergo cold fermentation in the fridge for about 16 hours.

2. In the next day, invert the dough and let them thaw in room temperature for about 90 minutes.

3. Invert out the soy milk dough onto a floured work top. Deflate the dough, and divide the dough into 13 portions, about 20 to 21g each.

Shape into small dough balls, cover, and set aside.

4. Similarly, invert out the cocoa milk dough onto a floured work top. Deflate the dough, and divide the dough into 12 portions, about 20 to 21g each.

Shape into small dough balls, cover, and set aside

Let the dough balls rest for about 5 minutes.

5. Flatten a soy milk dough ball, and put a Belcube in the center.

Similarly, flatten a cocoa milk dough ball, and put a candy cheese in the center.

Wrap up both dough balls and shape into two balls.

6. Place the pair of dough balls in the baking pan lined with parchment paper. 

Repeat Step 5 and Step 6 till finished all the dough.

7. Cover the shaped dough with a tea cloth, and let them undergo second fermentation for about 70 minutes, or till the dough balls filled up most of the empty space.

8. Start to preheat oven to 200℃ for about 10 minutes. While waiting, dust a thin layer of bread flour over the top of the shaped dough.

Bake at lower rack of the preheated oven. After closing the oven door, lower to 180℃ and bake for 8 minutes, reduce to 160℃ for 10 minutes, turn off oven and continue to bake for 3~5 minutes, or till the top lightly tanned.

9. Remove the hot buns from the pan after leaving the oven, and rest on a wire rack. Enjoy the petite cheese buns warm😋