Marmite Cheddar Cheese Buns 妈蜜芝士面包

*Recipe in collaboration with Marmite.

I have been reading about the many benefits of Marmite lately. The high concentration of Vitamin B12 in the yeast extract seems to carry loads of goodness for our bodies. Benefits such as boosting of brain power, staving off dementia, keeping the hearts healthy are few of the many mentioned. Since bread is a staple food for my family's daily diet, I thought I would add the goodness of Marmite into my homemade breads. I created this soft and fluffy Marmite Cheddar Cheese Buns 妈蜜芝士面包 using an easy tang zhong (starter) method. The buns were also made to complement the Marmite Meatballs 妈蜜肉丸, a flavourful dish. Trust me, the sauce from the meatballs serves as an ideal dipping sauce for these buns. They just go so well together!

Ingredients for Tangzhong/Starter :

• 2 tbsp bread flour
• 3 tbsp full cream milk
• 3 tbsp water

Ingredients for Bread Dough (Yield 12 Buns) :

• 2.5 cups bread flour
• 2 tbsp baking milk powder
• 1/2 cup full cream milk
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp Marmite
• 3 to 4 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
• 1 tbsp instant yeast

Ingredients for Bread Fillings & Egg Wash :

• 100 gm Cheddar cheese block
• 1 small egg (beaten)

(tsp = teaspoon; tbsp = tablespoon) 

Method :

1. Prepare tangzhong first by mixing all ingredients in a small saucepan. Whisk until texture is smooth. Then cook the mixture at very low heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk continuously. Tangzhong is ready when mixture thickens and leaves lines at bottom of saucepan as you whisk. Transfer to bowl and set aside to cool down.
2. Prepare dough by mixing room temperature tangzhong with all bread dough ingredients in a bread maker, mixer or knead by hand. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic.
3. Proof entire dough for 1.5 hour in oven. To proof, set oven to 50C, put dough in a tin and send to oven. Place a small bowl of room temperature water in the oven as well.
4. Meanwhile, cut cheddar cheese block into 12 equal size cubes and set aside.
5. Remove dough from oven when time's up. The dough should be puffed up by then. Shape dough to 12 equal size balls.
6. Lightly flatten each ball in palm and insert 1 cheese cube into dough. Roll into ball shape again in between palms.
7. Line 12 dough balls (with cheese cube filling) in a lightly greased bun pan.
8. Send buns to proof in oven again at 50C for further 45 minutes.
9. Remove bun pan and bowl of water from oven when time's up. The bun doughs should have risen nicely. 
10. Adjust oven to 180C.
11. Brush egg wash on buns. 
12. Bake buns for 25 to 30 minutes (or till buns turn golden brown colour). 
13. Remove buns from oven and allow to cool in bun pan for 15 minutes before serve. The buns would be soft and fluffy.

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