Sesame and Bacon Lava Bun

Freshly baked cheesy bacon lava buns, with a golden crust coated in cheese powder, soft and stretchy to the touch. Tear the bread open, and the cheese slices slowly unfold with a milky aroma, releasing the savory bacon flavor immediately. The rich meaty and milky aromas intertwine, and the soft dough encases the savory filling, making every bite a satisfying experience.

Ingredients

250g high-gluten flour
3 grams of dry yeast
150g iced milk
30g of egg liquid
30 grams of sugar
4 grams of salt
25g butter
6 slices of cheese
Bacon slices (as needed)
Kraft cheese powder (as needed)

Steps

Take the butter out in advance and let it soften at room temperature until it is soft enough to be easily pierced with chopsticks.
Pour the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt into the mixing bowl all at once, and stir well with chopsticks first. This will prevent the dry ingredients from clumping together.
Add eggs and milk to the bowl, and knead slowly until there is no dry powder.
Then start kneading on high speed until you can stretch it into a relatively thick membrane with slightly serrated edges. This is the 80% gluten development stage. Add the softened butter. First, knead on low speed to allow the butter to be fully incorporated into the dough, then switch to high speed. Keep kneading until you can stretch it into a thin, glove-like, transparent film. This is the 100% gluten development stage, and the kneading is complete.
Shape the dough into a round ball and place it in a warm place (such as the proofing setting on an oven), covered with plastic wrap. Wait until it doubles in size. To test if it's ready, poke a hole in it with a floured finger; if the hole doesn't collapse or shrink back, it's done.
Transfer the risen dough to the work surface and divide it into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion into a small ball (if you don't know how, you can watch a 10-second video tutorial), cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes to allow the dough to relax.
Take a rested dough ball and roll it out into a square slightly larger than a slice of cheese. Place a slice of bacon and a slice of cheese on top, then fold it diagonally like wrapping a small bundle, sealing the opening tightly to prevent the filling from leaking out.
Prepare a plate and pour dry cheese powder on it. Spray some water on the surface of the wrapped dough, then roll it in the cheese powder to coat it evenly.
Place in a humid environment at 35°C (place a bowl of water in the oven to maintain humidity) and let it rise until it is 1.5 times its original size. It's ready when it springs back slowly when gently pressed. On the surface of the risen dough, use a sharp knife to make two cuts to create your desired pattern (such as a cross or diagonal lines).
Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F), top and bottom heat. Bake the bread on the middle rack for about 13 minutes. If it browns too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Bake until golden brown and fragrant with cheese.
Tear open the soft bread, and the cheese slices slowly unfold with a milky aroma. The salty aroma of bacon immediately bursts out, and the rich meaty and milky aromas intertwine, making every bite incredibly satisfying.