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Lunar New Year Recipes | Kim-Joy
Vegan Tangzhong Ox Buns & Ox Pineapple Tarts by Kim-Joy
The Year of the Ox has arrived, and to celebrate we have partnered with Great British Bake Off Star Kim-Joy to create two delicious Year of the Ox inspired recipes for all to enjoy.
If you’re feeling ox-perimental, try making these adorable Vegan Tangzhong Ox Buns for yourself, or keep scrolling for an ox-cellent recipe to recreate Kim-Joy’s Ox Pineapple Tarts.
Share your creations with us on Instagram by tagging @chinatownlondon and using the hashtag @StrongAsAnOx.
Kim-Joy, Vegan Tangzhong Ox Buns
Ingredients
Tangzhong paste:
- 25g warm water
- 100g strong white flour
Dough:
- Tangzhong paste
- 125g plant-based milk
- 80g melted vegan butter (between 70 to 80% fat for the best results!)
- 10g white sugar
- 1tsp salt
- 350g strong white flour
- 7g fast action instant yeast
Extra:
- Pink gel food dye
- Brown gel food dye
- Black gel food dye
- Golden syrup
- A few blanched almonds
- Extra plant-based milk for brushing!
Method
- Make the tangzhong paste first. Add the flour and the water to a pan, stir until smooth, and then heat until thickened and paste-like. Put in a bowl, cover with cling film and chill in the freezer.
- Meanwhile, whisk together all the liquid ingredients for the dough. Then remove the chilled tangzhong and add it into the wet ingredients, then whisk again.
- Add the dry ingredients and knead until it becomes a smooth ball and passes the windowpane test. Cover and leave to rise until doubled in size.
- Reserve 60g of the dough, then shape the remaining dough into nine balls and arrange in a 20cm square tin.
- Use the reserved dough to add ears to dough balls, attaching them well so they don’t fall off later!
- Dye the remaining dough pink using gel food dye. Use this to create the noses. Brush with extra plant-based milk (adding a squeeze of golden syrup just to sweeten and help the dough colour).
- For the darker-brown patches, mix the soy milk with a little brown food dye, and then paint in random splotches.
- Bake for 20 mins at 180°C (fan), covering with foil towards the end to prevent excessive browning. Then, leave to cool.
- Add eyes using black food dye mixed with a little water. Stick in blanched almonds for the horns. Enjoy and happy Lunar New Year!
Ox Pineapple Tarts Recipe
Ingredients
Filling:
- 500g tinned pineapple
- 2tbsp caster sugar
Pastry:
- 150g plain flour
- 75g salted butter (or use vegan butter close to 80% fat)
- 45g white sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 to 4 tbsp cold water
Extra:
- A few blanched almonds
- Ping gel food dye
- Brown gel food dye
Method
- First make the filling, add the tinned pineapple (including the juice) to a pan, and cook over medium heat, stirring regularly. When the liquid has evaporated, add the sugar and then keep stirring until you get a deep golden colour. Chill in the fridge.
- For the pastry, rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips. stir through the sugar and baking powder. Add just enough water to form a ball of pastry.
- Add food dye to dye a small amount of the pastry pink as well as brown. Divide the plain coloured pastry into 11-12g balls.
- Roll the chilled pineapple paste into 8g balls. Encase each ball of filling with the plain pastry, so that the top is smooth.
- Shape pink snouts and use a little water to adhere. Add brown patches using brown dough. Add ears using more plain pastry.
- Bake for 15 mins at 170°C (fan). Leave to cool.
- Then paint on face features using black food dye mixed with a little food dye. Add small slivers of blanched almonds for the horns.
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