Ham and pineapple are a traditional combination that anyone can appreciate. It’s salty and sweet, and perfect in a pizza. But what if you could take this on the run for breakfast? This recipe takes a simple bread or pizza dough, fills it with ham, pineapple and onion until it is ready to explode, and then baked until you’re left with a soft bun that is perfect for breakfast on the road.

Makes: 8 buns
Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 15 to 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 recipe Milk Bun Dough
• 450-600g / 1 Maple Ham, pre-cooked
• 250ml / 1 cup Diced Pineapple, canned or fresh
• 1 small Onion, thinly sliced
• 4g / 1 tbsp Parsley, fresh or dried, plus extra for garnish
• 4g / 2 tsp Paprika
• 2g / 1 tsp Garlic powder
• 2g / 1 tsp Salt
• 2g / 1 tsp Black pepper
• ½ cup Crystal Margarine, melted
• Milk for brushing

Directions

1. Prepare the milk bun dough. Stop when you get to the step where you have to portion the dough.

2. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

3. While the dough is proofing, remove the skin from the maple glazed ham (the kind you get in the deli that is pre-cooked, and chilled. Usually around the hot dogs), and dice it up into bite sized pieces, approximately 2cm cubed. Toss them into a medium bowl.

4. Into the bowl with the ham add the diced pineapple, the onions, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and parsley. Toss them all together until they are evenly coated, cover with plastic wrap and place into the fridge, allowing them to marinate while you wait for the dough.

5. Once the dough is ready to shape, cut the dough in half. Cut each half into 2 pieces, then repeat again. You should have 8 equal sized pieces of dough.

6. Roll each one in your hand to make a rough ball, and allow them to rest for about 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Then working one ball at a time, press them flat, and fill each flattened piece of dough with approximately ¾ cup of the pineapple ham filling. Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the dough with your fingers, sealing the ham inside.

8. Again, gently roll the dough into a ball shape, and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat this until all the pieces of dough are filled.

9. Cover the balls with a clean towel and allow them to proof in a warm place for 20 minutes.

10. After the 20 minutes, remove the towel and coat each bun with a little milk, using a soft pastry brush. Sprinkle on a little parsley and pop them in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden all over and a thermometer inserted into the center reads 212°F (100°C).

11. Once they are removed from the oven, immediately brush the buns with the melted Crystal Margarine. This will give the buns their most important quality, a soft golden crust that stays fresh for up to 3 days. This needs to be done the moment they come out of the oven as the margarine will trap the steam inside the bun, softening the crust, and giving it a rich flavour.

12. Transfer the buns from the baking sheet to a cooling rack, to allow the buns to cool for at least 25 minutes before eating, as the centers will be extremely hot!

13. Store the buns in the fridge for up to 3 days, reheating them in an oven or toaster oven for about 10 minutes at 350°F (180°C).

 

Chef Notes

• If you can’t find a small ham, or you’re pressed for time, just grab sliced blackforest ham from the deli and dice that up.
• Want to really save time? Grab 2 packages of pre-made pizza dough from the supermarket and use them instead of making your own dough.