Shao Bing (Baked Sesame Flatbread)
The surface is covered in sesame seeds! Dozens of layers of traditional northern Chinese croissants
Description
An essential breakfast item in Beijing and the North. A round baked flatbread completely encrusted with white sesame seeds. Oil is rolled into the dough before baking, creating dozens of flaky, shattering layers inside like a croissant.
Restaurants serving Shao Bing (Baked Sesame Flatbread)
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Veg oil(or Lard)
- Yeast
- Five-Spice
- White sesame
- Salt
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- (Dough) Mix all-purpose flour, a little yeast, and warm water. Rest to create a slightly leavened, soft dough.
- (You Su / Oil Roux) In a bowl, mix flour and Five-Spice. Pour smoking-hot oil (or lard) over it and stir, creating a thick oil paste 'You Su'. This is the absolute requirement for flaky layers.
- Roll the dough into a large rectangle and smear the You Su generously all over.
- Roll it up tightly into a long cylinder, then cut into individual portions.
- Pinch the cut ends inward to seal the oil, and smash it flat into a round disc.
- Brush the top with water and press it heavily into raw white sesame seeds until fully coated.
- Bake in an oven (or griddle) until puffed, golden, and incredibly aromatic.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Five-Spice aroma、Roasted white sesame scent
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
(Roll puff pastry, coat in sesame, and bake)
Pairing
Soy Milk / Hu La Tang / Congee
Trivia
[Trivia] At Chinese breakfast stalls (Zao Dian), massive stacks of Shao Bing sell out in minutes. Because biting it causes sesame seeds and flakes to shatter everywhere, you must eat it over a plate or bag.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Delicious crunched plain, but the ultimate luxury is slicing it horizontally to create a pocket, then stuffing it with 'braised beef' or a 'fried egg' to make a Chinese sandwich (Jia Rou).
Allergen
Wheat, Sesame