I also often use this recipe to make pandesal, a traditional Filipino bread roll. To make pandesal, I simply cut the buns into smaller pieces and use a water wash instead of egg wash. For the sake of tradition, I also dust the rolls with bread crumbs and swap out the milk for water ;)

Ingredients

• Roux
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup cold whole milk
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose white flour
• Bread
  • 1/4 cup cold whole milk
  • 5 tablespoons sugar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1-1/2 cups + 5 tablespoons all-purpose white flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon dry milk
  • 2 teaspoons softened butter
  • Egg wash

Method

1. Making the roux: in a microwave, mix the roux ingredients and heat on high for 25 seconds. Stir, and heat for 15 seconds more. Stir again. If the roux (a white, pasty, pudding-like texture) still has not formed, heat in 5 second intervals until it forms.
2. Mix the sugar into the cold milk.
3. Mix the hot roux mixture with the sugar milk mixture. Make sure it is warm and not hot. Let cool to room temperature if needed.
4. In a small-medium stand-mixer bowl, mix the flour, yeast, dry milk, and salt together.
5. Create a well in the middle of the dry mixture, and put in the roux. Mix well into a ball until everything is well incorporated. If there are any stubborn clumps of flour that just won’t mix in, add a teaspoon of milk to the stubborn flour and mix it into the dough.
6. Using a stand mixer, knead for 6 to 8 minutes, under speed level 1.
7. Let the dough rest for about 1 minute, and in the bowl, add the butter and knead by hand for 2 minutes.
8. Place the dough in a greased bowl. In a hot microwave, proof the dough for 30-45 minutes – or until the dough has doubled in size.
9. Punch the dough down.
10. Cut the circular dough into 8 equal pieces.
11. Bring the dough’s edges together into the middle; place the dough seam side down on an unfloured surface. Gently roll using your cupped hand. Repeat for the other dough pieces.
12. Place each piece on a parchment-lined baking tray or a lightly-greased cake pan.
13. Proof again for 20-35 minutes while preheating the oven to 400°F (about 200°C).
14. Once the dough has doubled in size, coat each roll with the egg wash.
15. Place the rolls in the oven and reduce the heat to 320°F. Bake for about 14-15 minutes. Internal temperature should be between 185°F and 190°F.
16. Let cool.