Pineapple Bun in Hong Kong

Do you know that there is no pineapple in pineapple buns (菠蘿包)?

Please don’t be mistaken, your honor. Our client has no intention of speaking falsehood or deliberately misleading others to believe the buns have any direct connection with pineapples…probably.

Pineapple bun is a kind of standard sweet bun you can find almost everywhere in Hong Kong. What makes it special is not the bun itself (which is only some ordinary western bun), but that crusty layer on top, made with sugar, eggs, flour and lard. After being baked, the crust would turn golden brown. Together with its rugged texture and checked pattern, the bun looks like a pineapple from the outside (hence the name)… though I can’t really agree.

That’s all you need to know, I am done, bye

…is what I want to say. But there are a lot more about this bun.

Eating the crispy-top bun every day can be boring, right? That’s where the variation comes in!

A popular variation would be菠蘿油 (usually translated as “buttered pineapple bun”). As you can guess from the name, it’s a pineapple bun with butter inside. Soft bun, crunchy pastry and smooth butter, an ultimate combination that lets your tongue enjoy both the taste and texture at the same time. Watch out for your cholesterol intake, though.

There are also other variations with different stuffing, like red bean paste, custard and shredded coconut; if you prefer the savory ones, you can choose those with luncheon meat or barbecued pork; or pineapple bun with chocolate or cheese crust if you are tired with the original crust; maybe even pineapple bun filled with fruits like blueberry, strawberry and…pineapple!

See? It would take you nearly two weeks to try them all even if you try out one every day.

And did I mention that pineapple bun has become one of the items in Hong Kong’s intangible cultural heritage list since 2014?

So, go ahead.

Walk inside a Hong Kong style tea café and order a pineapple bun.

Preferably a cup of Hong Kong style milk tea as well.

Sit down, relax and taste the pride of Hong Kong…which looks like a pineapple.