Mickey Hot Dog Buns
新年快乐! I wanted to make something to celebrate Lunar New Year but give it a Disney twist since I knew I was going to enjoy the Lunar New Year Festival for the first time this year at Disney’s California Adventure. So, I took a staple of Chinese bakeries (the hot dog bun) and gave it two ears, and bam! The Mickey Hot Dog Bun was made in my kitchen, just like the ones you can get at the Lunar New Year Festival! Here’s how you make this recipe!
Mickey Hot Dog Buns
Adapted from Tastemade | Makes 6 Mickey heads (and one flower bun)
1 yeast packet
3/4 cup water (110-degrees Fahrenheit)
3 1/2 tablespoons sugar (1/2 tablespoon reserved for yeast)
2 1/2 cups bread flour
8 tablespoons butter, melted (2 tablespoons reserved for bowl)
2 eggs (1 reserved for egg wash)
3 hotdogs, cut into thirds
2 scallions, chopped
Sesame seeds
Add yeast packed to warm water and 1/2 tablespoon sugar, let sit for 5 minutes until it becomes frothy
In a bowl, add yeast mixture to flour, sugar, melted butter, and egg - and mix until combined
When you stop seeing dry pockets, transfer to floured surface and knead dough until smooth, combined, and bouncy
In another bowl, butter the inside before placing the dough, and then brush the top with butter as well. Let this rise in a warm environment for an hour until double in size (or inside a warmed oven for 30 minutes)
Remove the dough, fold once on itself, and form into a log. Cut into 6 pieces
Form each piece into a disc and use a Mickey cookie cutter, remove the extra dough into a pile, and twist each ear once
Place a piece of hot dog into the ears and face of Mickey, and make sure you press hard! Place all Mickeys on a baking tray and rise for another 30 minutes or until dough has risen to fully cushion the hotdogs
With your pile of remaining doughs, form into a large disc and slice 6 slits on the circumference to make a flower shape by twisting each petal into itself, and add a hotdog piece to each petal + center as well, and let this rise
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees while bread rises
Once bread is risen and ready, brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle your toppings (sesame seeds, scallions, etc.)
Bake for 20-25 minutes until bread is golden brown, and let it rest on a cooling rack before serving
