Five-Spice Rolls With Milk Tea Glaze

Name: Five-Spice Rolls With Milk Tea Glaze
Yield: 10
Cuisine: American

RECIPE: Reprinted with permission from Kung Food: Chinese American Recipes from a Third-Culture Kitchen by Jon Kung © 2023. Photographs © 2023 by Johnny Miller. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House

Photo: Johnny Miller

November 08, 2023

Cinnamon rolls made even cozier with extra spice.

A cherished Saturday morning ritual of heading to the neighborhood farmers’ market and picking up cinnamon rolls from a Mennonite stall is the inspiration behind these sticky five-spice rolls with a milk tea glaze. In his book, Kung Food, author Jon Kung fills his rolls with a sugary mixture spiced with cinnamon, Szechuan pepper, cardamom, ginger, and star anise. The milk tea glaze, made by combining Assam and pu-erh teas with sugar and milk, gives the rolls their earthy, nutty flavors as well as textbook gooeyness.

Ingredients

Yield:7-8 large rolls

Dough
Neutral oil, for greasing
3/4 cup whole milk
1 (14-oz.) packet rapid-rise yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
4 1/4 cups bread flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
12 Tbsp. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces, at room temperature
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Filling
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. ground Szechuan pepper
2 tsp. ground cardamom seeds (green or black)
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 star anise pod, ground
Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
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Glaze
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup loose-leaf Assam or Irish breakfast tea (you can take this from tea bags)
1/4 cup loose-leaf Pu-erh tea
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Kosher salt

Tools:2 medium bowls, stand mixer with dough hook, large ovenproof skillet, medium saucepan, small bowl, large bowl, whisk, wire rack

Preparation

DoughGrease a medium bowl with oil. In a pot or using the microwave, heat the milk, then let it cool to between 100° and 110°F (it should feel just warm to the touch, not hot). Add the yeast and stir until the yeast dissolves and starts to bubble.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, cornstarch, granulated sugar, and salt and mix until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the milk-yeast mixture until it comes together, about a minute, then add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.

Increase the speed to medium and add the butter pieces, waiting for each to be fully incorporated before adding the next. Mix the dough until it’s smooth and doesn’t stick to the bowl, 8 to 10 minutes more.

Place the dough on a clean surface and knead by hand until it forms a smooth, round ball. Transfer the dough to the greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm part of the kitchen (above the fridge, for example) and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

FillingWhile the dough rests, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, Szechuan pepper, cardamom, ginger, star anise, and a pinch of salt and set aside.

Line a large (at least 10-inch-diameter) ovenproof skillet with parchment paper. Transfer the dough to a clean surface and roll it out into an 18-inch square. Using fingers or a brush, spread the butter over the dough and evenly sprinkle the buttered dough with the spice mixture. Roll the dough into a tight cylinder and pinch where the dough sheet ends so that it no longer has an edge or a seam. Cut the cylinder crosswise into 8 even pieces using nonflavored dental floss or a very sharp bread knife. Transfer them cut-side up to the prepared skillet, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to rise for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake until deep and golden brown, about 35 to 45 minutes.

GlazeWhile the buns cook, make the glaze. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and both the Assam and Pu-erh tea leaves. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then turn off the heat and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain the milk into a small bowl. Put the confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup of the milk mixture until it creates a thick paste, adding more if necessary so the sugar dissolves into the liquid. Whisk in the vanilla and a pinch of salt. Add a little more of the milk mixture, if necessary, to create a glaze that is thick but can still be drizzled from a spoon without clumping.

Transfer the buns to a wire rack and drizzle with the glaze; allow the glaze to cool and set before adding another layer. Alternatively, leave the buns in the skillet and cover with the glaze. Everything looks better in a skillet.