How to Make Hong Kong Style Hot Dog Buns

One of the classic breakfast items of my childhood is Hong Kong style hot dog buns. They’re essentially the Asian equivalent of pigs in a blanket. While cocktail wieners are wrapped in a flaky pastry, similar to a sausage roll, the Hong Kong style hot dog buns are in a soft, egg-coated pastry that gives a fragrant smell when it comes out of the oven. Our family used to drive halfway across the city to purchase these from select Hong Kong bakeries. Nowadays, with greater immigration and the globalization of our palates, it is much easier to find these at many Asian grocers. However, in 2001 these were rare finds.

This week I decided to try my own hand at these baked goodies. I needed breakfast items that I could prepare in advance such that in my rushed mornings, I would run out of the house not starving. It is not as complex as it may seem and homemade buns are always fresher, more doughy, and delicious.

If you’re hosting guests, these also make for a great appetizer and you can shrink the size of the portions down further, with less bun per hot dog.

Hong Kong Style Hot Dogs

Ingredients:

For the pastry dough:

1 sheet of store-bought puff pastry (thawed, if frozen)

For the hot dog filling:

4-6 hot dogs (use your preferred type)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the egg wash:
1 egg, beaten
For garnish (optional):
Sesame seeds
Sliced green onions
Sriracha or chili sauce

Instructions:

Prepare the hot dog filling:
In a bowl, mix soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger, and minced garlic.
Slice the hot dogs diagonally into halves or thirds.
Heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat and add the hot dog slices.
Pour the sauce mixture over the hot dogs and cook until they are nicely coated and heated through. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat the oven and prepare the puff pastry:
Preheat your oven according to the puff pastry package instructions.
Unroll the thawed puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface.
Cut and assemble the hot dog pastry buns:
Cut the puff pastry sheet into rectangles, each large enough to wrap around one hot dog slice.
Place a hot dog slice on each pastry rectangle and fold the pastry over to cover the hot dog. Press the edges to seal, ensuring the hot dog is fully enclosed.
Brush with egg wash:
Brush the top of each pastry bun with the beaten egg. This will give the buns a shiny golden finish after baking.
Bake the hot dog pastry buns:
Place the assembled buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake in the preheated oven according to the puff pastry package instructions or until the buns turn golden brown and puff up.
Garnish and serve:
Once the hot dog pastry buns are baked, you can optionally sprinkle them with sesame seeds and sliced green onions for added flavor and visual appeal.
If desired, drizzle some Sriracha or your favorite chili sauce on top for a spicy kick.