Cream Sandwich Bread filled with Pork Floss ~ No Oven!

My father and I went to the local Chinatown here last month. There he allowed me to buy anything I want as he knows most of my favorite treats are there. It feels like we’re in an old Chinese movie as we walked along the narrow alleys witnessing exotic items being sold. There were sea cucumbers, fresh mushrooms, fresh cherries, kumquats, and HUGE strawberries; very expensive and not usually found in everyday markets. I wanted to take pictures but my hands are just busy shoveling food into my mouth. We even rode a Kalesa (horse pulled two wheeled vehicle) on our way back to the bus station, again very movie-like. XP

Of course, I wouldn’t go back home without buying my favorite stuff from my child hood, pork floss! Here, it is called ma sang/ ma hu/ ma tsang. I really don’t know the difference between them but the grocery where we bought it sells ma hu with seaweed and the ma sang without it and appears to be drier, the pork floss I grew up with. I love eating it with congee as a child but now that I’m older I love it more with rice.

The main inspiration of this bread is the Floss bread of a famous bakery chain, soft bread with special filing topped with spicy meat floss. Here it is so expensive! Yes, it’s delicious but its size makes me feel like it’s not just worth the money; so I made my own version.

I made the dough using cream as I like its taste from the breads I’ve made before with it, so soft and bouncy with an unmistakable flavor and aroma. Most recipes that I’ve read asks for condensed milk and mayonnaise for the filling; I didn’t have both so I used the leftover cream and added sugar to it and to emulate the tang of mayonnaise, I added calamansi, our local citrus here that has unique flavor that lemon or lime cannot replace.

I divided the dough into three, rolled it flat, spread the cream filling and put a generous amount of floss then I rolled it like a spring rolls before proofing it in my llanera (local flan molds). It was glazed with egg and cream before I finally baked it in my clay pot for 40 minutes. Here’s what I’ve got…




It looks like its burnt but believe me it's not, I just like a bold bake. The bottom is also crisper since the heat in the pot is more intense at the bottom. That black thing is just some pooled glaze (I don't have a brush to glaze breads, I only use my fingers) that apparently burnt on the surface.

Here are the crumb shots:


Sliced



Pulled




Pork Floss, don't be shy! Show yourself!




We can't see the cream but the inside is moist and sweet like it is saying it really there and melds well with the bread and meat. I took the center roll, smothered it with the last of the filling and scattered more floss on top, heavenly! Unfortunately that photo was corrupted so it isn't included here. I think I will make it next time as a unique cake for someone special! Haha 

By the way I am trying to improve my photos and baking! Thank you very much!