Sugar Buttered Buns

Rising time- buns before being baked

After 30 minutes-they are quite ready, but they need a little bit of make up

My beautiful buns or "Roti Paun"- as they come out beautifully after I've smeared some unsalted butter and margarine, and put them back in the oven for another 5 minutes
- My Golden Darlings

Yes, I've finally made it....After several attempts of baking Sugar Buttered Buns or " Roti Manis" or "Roti Paun" as we call them in Malaysia, I have successfully baked these buns. These buns are very famous in Terengganu- a state in the east coast of peninsular Malaysia. But in my childhood memory, I remember these buns or "roti paun" as "roti paun Muar". Muar is actually a nice, old town of Johor. It was once the capital of the state of Johor ( Johor being one of the southern states of peninsular Malaysia- apart from Malacca and Negeri Sembilan) . This memory still lingers on, since these "roti paun" Muar are really "something". It was a treat to have these sugar buttered buns if ever we came to Muar, since Malacca did not have these little sweet treats. Back to the recipe, having doing several experiments, and trying all sorts of recipes that I've gathered from the internet and baking books- I have come to one conclusion. Never give up on these little darling. In making these buns, don't ever use any regular wheat flour or all purpose flour. Use "red rose flour" (you can find this flour in baking stores) or "bread flour". In fact, please sieve the flour, let the yeast rise ( I have used 1/2 of a packet of 11g dry yeast) in a cup of warm milk and 1 table spoon of sugar, and put 2 eggs, instead of one and add some margarine/ butter ( 3-4 table spoons), 1 tea spoon of salt and not forgetting a table spoon of bread improver. In this recipe, I have only used 1/2 kg of the red rose flour and 4 table spoons of caster sugar. The way to do it- is to sieve the flour, put the flour in an aluminium bowl, make a well, add in eggs, add in the rising yeast, put in sugar, salt, margarine/ butter and lastly the bread improver. Knead it slowly, adding flour a bit by bit,(just a table spoon or two of extra flour) punch the dough , to let the air being released. Then, let the dough rise, cover it with damp kitchen towel. After 20 minutes, knead the dough again, let it rise again for another 10 minutes, punch it. Then, make small balls of the dough. Cover them, with the same damp kitchen towel, let them rise for about 10 minutes. Then, bake them in a pre-heated oven ( heat the oven first, for 8 minutes) and put these buns for 30 minutes of 120C. The final end- these little buns are simply divine. I have also managed to get the soft like cotton texture. Eat these little darlings with "kaya" and have a sip of a black coffee, and you will know what do I mean. And all these little things brought me back to my childhood days... Days of a simple life in a town used to be known as a sleepy hollow town- Malacca. Ooo.. I miss my old Malacca....

P/S: The memory of my childhood stays in my heart, as I become a "resident" in another city. A city with not many old buildings..hmmm