Hot Dog Flowers

HOT DOG FLOWERS
China

These beautiful pastries can be found in many Chinese bak­eries, particularly throughout Hong Kong. We’ll use the same fluffy dough as that of the sausage-filled Czech klobásník (page 112), but instead of leaving it whole like a pig in a blan­ket, the hot dog–filled pastry is sliced and twisted to form the shape of a flower before being topped with sesame seeds and scallions. Once baked, the flowers are glazed with sugar syrup to give them a nice sheen.

INGREDIENTS

• 2¾ cups (430 grams) all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ cup (125 ml) whole milk

  The Hot Dog Cookbook Farideh Sadeghin

• ¼ cup (60 grams) plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast

• 4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, melted

• 1 large egg yolk plus 1 large egg

• 8 hot dogs

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

• 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

• 1 teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and salt and set aside.

2. Heat the milk and ½ cup (125 ml) of water to 115°F. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attach­ment along with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the yeast. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes, then add in the butter and the egg yolk. Add the flour and salt and mix at medium speed until a soft, smooth dough forms. Divide the dough into 8 even pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place on one of the prepared sheet pans. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

3. In a small saucepan, combine the remaining sugar and ¼ cup (60 ml) of water. Heat over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Set the syrup aside until ready to use.

4. Heat the oven to 400°F. Working with one ball of dough at a time on a clean work surface, roll the dough into a 5½-inch by 4½-inch oval and place a hot dog on top. Roll up into a log, seal­ing the edges.

5. Form the hot dogs into flower shapes. Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, make 5 to 6 equal cuts across the hot dog log and through the dough underneath, taking care not to cut all the way through, leaving a thin strip of dough and dog at the bottom to hold the “petals” together. Carefully rotate each cut petal seg­ment outward so the sliced hot dog faces up in a pinwheel shape.

6. Place the pastries on the prepared sheet pans and let rise for 15 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the whole egg, then mix in the scallions.

8. Brush the egg over the pastry and, using your fingers, dab the scallions all over, then sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Try not to get any scallions or seeds on the hot dogs (just to keep them looking cute). Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until golden, about 15 minutes. Brush with the syrup and cool slightly

Excerpted from The Hot Dog Cookbook by Farideh Sadeghin (Workman Publishing). Copyright © 2026. Illustrations by Workman Publishing.

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