Wholemeal Heart Shape Tuna Buns / 全麦心形吞拿鱼面包

I am really into bread making lately, main reason being bread is healthier than cake and other sweet stuff. If I bake cake, my two little boys will nibble on it whole day it means high sugar and fat intake. In our family now, cake is one type of sweet treats and bread is a regular snack for tea.

I baked a 100% wholemeal bread few weeks ago, T and I loved it but it was too dry and hard for little ones. So, I switched back to my favorite white bread recipe. Substituted partial of the white flour with wholemeal flour and added some instant oat. Thanks to overnight chilled batter, the bread/buns turned out soft and fluffy.

Overnight chilled batter
Ingredients:
150 g bread flour
150 g water
1/8 tsp instant yeast

To prepare starter, mix all ingredients together till well mixed. Set aside for 1-2 hours (Malaysia weather/summer) then keep refrigerated for at least 16 hours before use. It can be kept in the refrigerator up to 3 days. If there is still leftover after 3 days, keep it in the freezer. Just thaw on kitchen bench before using.

Wholemeal Heart Shape Tuna Buns / 全麦心形吞拿鱼面包

Ingredients (makes 12):
Main dough
200 g bread flour
70 g wholemeal flour
20 g instant oat
40 g sugar
3/4 tsp salt
140 g cold milk
150 g chilled batter starter (half amount of the chilled batter)
40 g margarine/butter, softened

Topping:
1 can tuna in oil/water, drain
1 small onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Mayonnaise
Sichimi (七味) - Japanese chili-spices mix

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients, except butter, in bread maker bowl. Choose the dough option and start. When a dough is formed, add in butter and let the machine to complete the whole dough cycle.
2. Turn dough on a slightly floured table top, punch down to remove air bubbles, divide and shape dough into 12 equal size balls. Cover with plastic wrap and rest for 10-15 minutes.
3. Use a rolling pin, starting from center, roll a dough ball to a 15cm x 10cm rectangle and roll into a cylinder from the long edge. Pinch the edge to seal, then roll with palms to make pointed ends (picture 1) and set aside. Repeat this step for all other dough balls.
4. To make heart shape, make a cut in the middle (picture 2) and open it up to make an oval shape (picture 3). Transfer dough onto greased baking tray, make into heart shape as shown (picture 4). Lightly pinch to seal the hole in the center of heart shapes. Cover with plastic wrap and rest till they are doubled in size.
5. Meanwhile prepare topping, combine tuna, onion and mayonnaise in a mixing bowl. Mix tell well blended. Spoon topping onto each heart shape dough (sprinkle with sichimi if using), drizzle extra mayonnaise over. Rest for about 10 minutes.
6. Bake in preheated oven, at 175C for 15 minutes. Cool on rack.  

Cook's note:

1. When shaping doughs, use as little flour as possible too much flour causes dry and hard bread.
2. Use a rolling pin to roll out dough, this helps produce finer texture buns compared to ones flattened with hand.
3. If making white buns, use total 270 grams of white bread flour and omit the wholemeal flour.
4. This recipe is good for making a 20 x 11.5 x 11.5 cm loaf bread with lid.