Ginger Glazed Black Sesame Buns
- claudine bonsu
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
Although I do not celebrate Lunar New Year myself personally, I am privileged to have it routinely fall within my birthday month and therefore, have always been fascinated by the many traditions and customs that come in this period. Food is a huge part of Lunar New Year celebrations and is how celebrants gather, gift, and wish each other luck for the year ahead.
Some flavours instantly carry tradition, and black sesame is one of them. Sesame represents prosperity, longevity and good fortune, and it’s a flavour that often carries strong childhood memories - sweets shared with family, celebrations, and moments around the table. Deeply nutty, slightly sweet, and incredibly aromatic, its most commonly found in in Tang Yuan during Chinese new year celebrations. dessert. These sweet glutinous rice balls are typically filled with black sesame, peanut or red bean, served in a light syrup ( often ginger infused).
For this recipe, I wanted to honour that flavour but present it in my style: soft, fluffy enriched buns with spirals of rich sesame filling, baked until golden and perfect for sharing.
Whether you are making them as part of your New Year spread or simply because you love black sesame, I hope they bring warmth and a little extra sweetness to the start of the year.
Texture Expectations
These buns are designed to be incredibly soft and pillowy thanks to the tangzhong method. They should bake up light, tender and slightly chewy, with defined swirls of sesame filling inside.
Straight from the oven they will be delicate, rich and fragrant. Once topped, they become the perfect balance of fluffy bread, nutty paste and creamy sweetness.
Recipe
Yields 8-10 buns (adjust as needed)
INGREDIENTS
Tangzhong
25g bread flour
120ml milk
Dough
350g strong white bread flour
50g caster sugar
7g fast-action yeast
1 tsp fine salt
Tangzhong (from above)
120ml warm milk
50g very soft butter (not melted)
1 egg (room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla
Sesame Paste Filling
140g sesame seeds
50g caster sugar
150g butter
Egg milk Wash
1 egg
3 Tbsp coconut milk
Ginger Syrup
I used the ginger syrup that comes when buying ginger stem in syrup!
Method:
Make the Tangzhong
Add flour + milk to a small saucepan.
Cook on medium heat, whisking constantly, until it becomes a thick paste (like pudding).
Remove from heat and cool to room temp
Make the dough
In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
Add: tangzhong, warm milk, egg, and very soft butter.
Mix until a shaggy dough forms. (the dough is combined but looks rough in texture)
Knead for 10–12 minutes (or 8 minutes in a mixer) until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. (don’t be afraid to keep kneading until you reach this consistency)
TIP: Tangzhong dough starts sticky but becomes bouncy and stretchy.
Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and rise for 1–1.5 hours, until doubled.
Make the sesame paste
Add black sesame seeds to a food processor and blend until finely ground.
add remaining sugar and butter and pulse into a smooth paste.
Let it harden slightly (warm filling will melt the dough.)
Shape the buns
Punch down the dough ( to let the air out)
Roll into a 60 × 40 cm rectangle.
Spread the sesame paste evenly
Fold the dough in thirds and roll out lightly again
Slice into 10-12 strips ( don't be afraid to cut off the ends of your dough to get equals sections)
Twist each strip several times and shape into a roll or knot
Place on a baking paper lined trays and cover and rise for 45 mins - 1 hr until puffy.
Bake
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)
Brush your buns with you egg milk wash and bake for 14 - 18 mins until lightly golden brown.
(Optional) Finish off with a ginger syrup glaze
Experimenting with Variations
Once you master the basic recipe try these variations:
Condensed milk drizzle: For extra indulgence
Orange syrup Glaze: for a fruity/citrus kick
Desiccated Coconut: for deepen nutty flavours
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