Classic Taiwanese Shao Bing 燒餅
By Tiffy Cooks
I’m bringing Classic Taiwanese Breakfast to my Vancouver kitchen for my Taiwanese grandma with this Shao Bing 燒餅, or Baked Sesame Flatbread recipe. It’s super crispy, with fragrant sesame on the outside, and hot, fluffy layers inside. You won’t believe it takes only 5 ingredients to recreate that nostalgic Taiwanese flavor. And, it will make your kitchen smell amazing while it bakes in the oven. It's the perfect meal prep breakfast to keep in the freezer!
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup hot water
- ½ cup room-temperature water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Flaky Paste
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup raw sesame seeds for coating
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cups of flour and salt. Slowly pour in the hot water while mixing with a pair of chopsticks until it forms a rough texture. Pour in the room-temperature water and vegetable oil and mix again with the chopsticks. Let sit until cool enough to handle.
- Knead the dough in the bowl into a ball. The dough will be sticky but should be able to peel off the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too sticky to knead, cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes before kneading. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the flaky paste: In a small saucepan, combine the flour and vegetable oil. Stir until smooth. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Roll and shape the dough: Lightly oil a work surface with a drizzle of vegetable oil and rub some on a rolling pin. Place the dough on the oiled work surface. Use the rolling pin to roll out the dough into an 18 by 10-inch rectangle.
- Using your fingers, evenly spread about 1½ teaspoons of the flaky paste all over the surface of the dough leaving a ¼-inch border at the bottom edge. Evenly dust the dough with 2 tablespoons of flour.
- Orient the dough with a long side facing you. Tightly roll the dough down from top to bottom into a log. Make sure that there are no air bubbles (prick any with a toothpick) and that the paste is tucked inside. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F / 230°C. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the log crosswise into eight equal pieces, each 2 to 3 inches wide. Working with one piece at a time, and leaving the rest of the dough covered, use the rolling pin to roll the dough into a 4-inch square, rolling the dough from the middle to ensure an even thickness (photo 1).
- Fold the bottom edge of the dough to the middle, and bring the top edge down to the bottom (photo 2).
- Turn the dough 90 degrees so the two openings are at the top and the bottom. Use the rolling pin to roll the dough until it is 5 inches long, rolling from the middle to ensure an even thickness (photo 3).
- Fold the bottom edge to the middle, then fold the top edge down to ½ inch from the bottom.
- Spread the sesame seeds on a plate. Gently press the folded side of the dough into the sesame seeds to coat the surface (photo 4). Using the rolling pin, gently press the sesame seeds so they stick to the dough (photo 5).
- Place the dough sesame-side down on the work surface, then roll out the dough until 6 inches long (photo 6). Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Bake the shao bing: Arrange the shao bing sesame-side up on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, until crispy and golden brown on the bottom.
- Serve warm or let cool completely, then store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS: Cool completely. Place the shao bing in a resealable plastic bag and store in the freezer for up to 1 month. To use, defrost overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a toaster oven at 325°F / 160°C for 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 335kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 7gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.1gSodium: 149mgPotassium: 127mgFiber: 3gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 2IUCalcium: 189mgIron: 4mg
