The filling for Siew Pao (Baked Flaky BBQ Pork Bun) is same as the filling for Steamed Char Siew Pao. The crust for Siew Pao is flaky crust made with lard.
Preheat cooking oil, cook shallot until fragrant. Add in plain flour, cook until fragrant. Combine water, sugar, oyster sauce, light soy sauce and dark soy sauce, add in, cook until thickened. Add in char siew, mix well. Transfer to heat resistant container, set aside until slightly cooled.
When slightly cooled, cover and keep refrigerated for later use. (Reminder: Chilled filling is easier to handle.)
Divide chilled char siew filling into 8 portions (each about 25 g).
For Siew Pao flaky crust dough:
For water dough: Sift together plain flour and icing sugar, add in salt, mix well. Add in lard, rub into flour mixture until well mixed. Add in cold water (cold water from fridge, about 4°C-6°C), mix into a dough (add in more flour if the dough is sticky). Knead the dough for 5 minutes until smooth . Wrap with cling wrap, set aside to rest for 20 minutes. (Reminder: You may replace lard with pure ghee/clarified butter or shortening.)
For oil dough: Sift plain flour, add in lard, mix into a dough. Cover the dough, keep refrigerated while waiting for the water dough to rest. (Reminder: If your oil dough is drier, add in more lard. You may replace lard with pure ghee/clarified butter or shortening.)
Divide water dough and oil dough into 8 portions. Flatten water dough, top with oil dough, wrap oil dough fully with water dough, shape into a ball.
Lightly coat dough with flour, roll out the dough in between cling wrap into oblong shape, then roll up. Roll out the rolled dough again, then roll it up again.
Cover the dough with cling wrap, set aside to rest for 20 minutes.
Making Siew Pao:
Flatten rested dough into slightly round shape, put in char siew filling, wrap fully with dough, pinch to seal the opening.
Arrange filled dough on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Brush the surface with egg wash and top with some white sesame seeds. (For egg wash: Add sugar to egg, beat lightly until sugar has dissolved, sieve through.)
Bake in the preheated oven at 200°C/390°F for 35 minutes. Set aside to cool before serving.
Video
Notes
This recipe yields 8 pieces of buns. The nutritional value for reference is for 1 piece of bun.