Learn how to make soft fluffy Chinese Steamed Buns. All the tips you need to know and a step-by-step video to help you make smooth soft steamed buns with this recipe.
Soft Fluffy Chinese Steamed Buns Recipe (Mantou)
Are you getting tired of making steamed buns that come out wrinkly or collapse or simply just not smooth? I used to wonder why in the world a perfectly proofed buns come out horrible after steaming. As you read through the post below, you will find the reasons why. Making basic steamed buns is not complicated if you get the right tips and of course like they say practice makes perfect. Let’s get started guys!
WHAT MAKES SOFT AND FLUFFY STEAMED BUNS?
Basic plain steamed buns recipe only need 5 ingredients: flour (more in details on the type of flour), instant yeast, cooking oil, sugar, and salt. Simple as that.
1. The flour you use
Here are what I’ve tried and the family really like:
1. All-purpose flour + wheat starch
2. Cake flour
3. Premixed Hongkong/Vietnamese bao flour
If you don’t have any of the above, try this combination: all-purpose flour + cornstarch
2. Oil
Like in many cases, the oil helps to make the dough soft and not dried out (sort of like a moisturizer)
3. Yeast
You can use active dry yeast, instant yeast (which is what I use), and fresh yeast. The yeast helps to leaven the bao. I used to add baking powder to the recipe too, but I found that the texture of the buns are too spongy and I prefer the soft fluffy cake-like texture, besides, you have yeast, you don’t need the baking powder, it’s kinda an overkill IMHO. I recommend using instant yeast instead of active dry yeast or fresh yeast because it saves time and the proof faster too. BUT, I understand that some people still prefer to use active dry yeast, which will work for this recipe too (refer to recipe card’s note). Some people said instant yeast gives a stronger yeasty flavor compared to active dry yeast. It’s really a matter of preference I suppose. I don’t feel like the steamed buns taste yeasty. You be the judge and follow your preference.
If you use fresh yeast, the general rule of thumb is to use 4 times the amount of instant yeast. So in this case, 4 grams of instant yeast would be 16 grams of fresh yeast.
4. Kneading
I remember back in my grandma days when stand mixer or bread maker wasn’t available yet, the big bulk of the task of making soft fluffy and smooth steamed buns lie on the kneading the dough. Lots of kneading! If you have a stand mixer to knead the dough for you, then that’s really good!
WHICH INSTANT YEAST TO USE
In general, any type of instant yeast will work. There are so many kinds out there and the naming can be quite confusing. I’m not going to elaborate about yeast here, but just to share with you what you need to know within the context of this post.
FOR THIS RECIPE (low sugar content): I like this SAF Instant Yeast (Red Label). This instant yeast can be used for all kind of doughs, from bread, steamed buns, to a refrigerated or frozen dough. It works very well. It’s suitable for dough that is not sweet. This recipe only calls for 3 teaspoons of sugar per 300 grams of flour.
IF YOU PLAN TO INCREASE SUGAR AMOUNT: Yeast can thrive with a bit of sugar, but too much sugar can inhibit their activities. If you plan to use the amount of sugar of 10% or more of the flour weight (10% of 300 grams is 30 grams of sugar or more), use this SAF Instant Yeast (Gold Label). It works so much better for sweet dough.
You can definitely use whatever instant yeast or even regular active dry yeast if you like, just know that once you increase that sugar amount, the yeast will work much slower and will take much longer to proof the dough, not a big issue just a tad longer.
Smooth like baby bottom 🙂
SOFT FLUFFY CHINESE STEAMED BUNS (MANTOU) STEP-BY-STEP MAKING GUIDE
1. MAKE THE DOUGH
Place the flour, instant yeast, sugar, in a mixing bowl. If you are using a stand mixer, use a dough hook attachment. Add cold milk or room temperature water. Add cooking oil. You may need to add more milk/water if the dough is still a bit dry. Add more teaspoon by teaspoon until the dough comes together and continue to knead for 5 minutes.
Then add in the salt and continue to knead until the dough is smooth again
Wrap the dough with a plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes before shaping
2. SHAPE AND SMOOTH THE DOUGH
Divide the dough into 10-12 equal portion (depends on how small or big you want the steamed buns to be)
Work with one dough at a time
Pull and tuck the dough from top to bottom so the seams are at the bottom and the surface is relatively smooth
Roll the dough into a smooth round ball in between the palm of your hand or as I did in the video. REALLY make sure the dough is smooth.
Cup the dough with both palms and move the dough in a circular motion to shape it taller. This part is important so your steamed buns come out tall instead of spreading to the side after steaming
Lightly dab the surface of the bun with some milk using your finger to smooth the surface.
Place on a piece of parchment paper.
3. PROOF ONLY ONCE
Let the dough rise at room temperature. If it’s winter where you are, you can use your oven “bread proof” function to let them proof in there, or simply turn on your oven to the lowest temperature and then turn off and after 15 minutes, place the shaped buns in there to let them proof until about 50% of the original size
Buns have risen to about 50% original size. Took about 15-20 minutes
4. STEAM THE BUNS
Bring the water in the steamer to a boil. Wrap the lid of the steamer with a cloth
LOWER THE HEAT TO MEDIUM. Place the buns in there, leaving about 1-inch space in between. Close the lid and leave about 1/4-inch of gap to let some steam escape
Steam for 15 minutes for medium to large buns with no filling, 18 minutes for larger buns with filling
After steaming, turn off the heat. DO NOT OPEN THE LID of the steamer. Let the buns sit there for 5 minutes like this. The buns will not sink or wrinkle due to the sudden change in temperature
COOK’S TIPS TO MAKE SMOOTH STEAMED BUNS
I’ve been getting some questions from my readers that their steamed buns come out not smooth even after pushing out all the air. I have inconsistent results sometimes with the steamed buns being not smooth. Here are some tips I’ve learned after making LOTS of steamed buns:
1. USE ROOM TEMPERATURE OR COLD LIQUID
Instead of using warm liquid (milk or water), I start with room temperature liquid, such as cold milk or room temperature water. That way, the yeast doesn’t work immediately while you are trying to shape the buns. It helps a lot not to have all those air bubbles while shaping
2. SMOOTH AND SHAPE IT TALL
Please refer to the video in the recipe card below to see how few simple steps can help you to make the buns smooth, round, and tall
Look at how nice and tall the buns after proofing
3. ONLY PROOF ONCE
It takes about 10-15 minutes (usually not longer than that, but don’t go by time) for the dough to rise to about 50% of its original size at a warm temperature (between 75-95 F / 24-35 C). If it’s colder where you are, it will take longer.
4. WRAP THE LID OF STEAMER WITH A CLOTH
The condensation collected on the lid will drip back to the steamed buns and create burn spots. By wrapping the lid with a cloth, you easily preventing this from happening
5. STEAM THE BUNS OVER MEDIUM HEAT
High heat will make the buns not smooth and expand to the side. I set the fire in between on medium now. I used to do Medium-high heat and the results weren’t consistent, sometimes I got smooth buns, sometimes I didn’t. But I always get smooth buns when I steam on low-medium heat
6. LEAVE ABOUT 1/4-INCH GAP TO LET STEAM ESCAPE DURING STEAMING
I’ve tested this method several times and the results were pretty good when you steam over medium heat this way, by leaving about 1/4-inch gap between the lid and the pot. Even when you have overproof the steamed buns, the steamed buns do not collapse and wrinkle
7. DON’T RUSH TO OPEN THE LID AFTER STEAMING
Let the steamed buns rest in the steamer for 5 minutes or so before opening the lid so your steamed buns won’t collapse and shrink due to the sudden change in temperature
The steamed buns are so soft and fluffy
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CHINESE STEAMED BUNS
I have made steamed buns for A LOT in the past few years and I’ve learned from some of the flops to share with you and hopefully, you don’t have to go through the same.
1. WHAT TO SUBSTITUTE FOR CAKE FLOUR?
Here in the U.S., cake flour is widely available, but it has brought to my attention that cake flour is not available or any bleached flour is banned in Europe and Australia. You can use regular plain flour (we call it all-purpose flour in the U.S.) and add cornstarch to it. Here’s how to make homemade cake flour: For every 1 cup of plain flour (about 115 gr) add 2 Tbsp of cornstarch. This will help to soften the steamed buns compared to just using all plain flour. DO NOT SUBSTITUTE CAKE FLOUR WITH SPONGE MIX (Cake flour is not available in Europe and sponge mix is more common).
2. WHY HOMEMADE STEAMED BUNS ARE YELLOWISH IN COLOR?
This is the question I was asked often when it comes to making steamed buns at home. If you use the premixed steamed buns flour that you bought from the store, the result usually is white in color. The answer is because of the flour. The flour has been treated or bleached to give you that white result. You don’t have to use bleached flour. Regular unbleached flour will still give you great steamed buns.
3. DOES VINEGAR HELP TO WHITEN STEAMED BUNS?
I tried that before several times and the answer is No. I thought it would work some magic, but it didn’t happen.
4. DO WHITE STEAMED BUNS TASTE BETTER?
Not necessarily. Don’t let the color fools you. Just because you produce some yellow buns, they can still be soft, fluffy and delicious! The color doesn’t really affect the taste.
5. STEAMED BUNS COLLAPSE OR COME OUT WRINKLY
-Make sure the liquid is not warm
You want to start the dough “cold” by using cold milk or at least room temperature water. So the yeast is not active while you are shaping the dough, which creates lots of air bubbles and hence, an unsmooth surface.
-Overproofing (read how to tell if the dough is done proofing and how to prevent overproofing below)
Yes, over proofing is a problem too. When you let the dough proofs for too long, it will weaken the dough and when you steam it, it will collapse and cause that wrinkle and the buns will spread to the side making them look wide and flat.
-Air bubbles and not shaping them smooth
Make sure you push all the air bubbles out after resting for 15 minutes. Re-knead the though few times and then fill and shape the buns according to what you want to do. Make sure the surface of the buns are smooth or they will come out well..not smooth after steaming.
-Steaming over high heat
When I steam the buns over high heat, they always come out bumpy and simply not smooth. But once I adjust the heat to medium with the lid slightly ajar, the buns come out smooth.
-A sudden change in temperature
This is less likely the cause for severe wrinkles on the steamed buns, but the sudden change in temperature may sometimes cause the steamed buns to retract and sometimes even collapse and shrink causing the wrinkles once they cool down completely. Let them stay in the steamer for 3 minutes after you turn off the steamer.
-Another culprit usually is the filling inside the buns. Too much moisture in the filling will make the bun wrinkles and collapse too.
6. HOW TO TELL IF THE SHAPED DOUGH IS DONE PROOFING AND READY FOR STEAMING
1. VISUAL
They won’t increase in size by much, ideally, only about 50% of its original size
2. FEEL
The dough feels light and airy when you lift it up, no longer dense and heavy like dough before you shape them
3. FINGER TEST
When you gently push on the dough, it will leave an indentation but will spring back slowly. This dough is perfectly proofed. If it springs back right away, it needs to be proofed a bit longer. If it never springs back, then you have over proofed the dough
7. HOW TO STOP THE DOUGH FROM PROOFING?
Most likely your steamer won’t be able to accommodate all at one go. You may need to steam in 2-3 batches, which means, the rest of the batches will sit longer and continue to proof while waiting for the steamer. Not good for the buns! Here’s what you can do: Make sure the cover them with plastic wrap and then place them in the refrigerator to slow down the yeast activity or halt it all together until they are ready to be steamed
8. HOW TO RESCUE OVER-PROOFED DOUGH?
So, you did a finger test, you gently push on the dough and it never springs back. Ouch!! over-proofed! If you continue to steam them, they will collapse and come out dense. Here’s how to fix it: Gently push down on the dough to flatten and then reshape it and let it proof again follow the same instruction as before for proofing
9. HOW TO STEAM BUNS WITHOUT A STEAMER OR BAMBOO BASKET
You don’t need actual food steamer or bamboo basket to steam food. I don’t have any food steamer. You can set up by using:
– Large wok/large pot with a lid
– Metal trivet or wide and low heat-proof glass jar: this is to put a plate/tray on top for the food you want to steam
– A heat-proof plate or tray (that can fit into your wok or pot) to sit on top of the trivet: this is where you put the buns to be steamed
10. HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT STEAMED BUNS
Storing: If you make extra and plan to store them, let the already steamed buns cool down completely and then place them on a baking sheet, not touching each other, and then put the entire tray inside the freezer for about 1 hour. They will harden, but not completely frozen yet. Transfer to a freezer bag and they will not stick to each other anymore. Try not to keep for more than 1 month.
Reheating: They can go straight from the freezer to steamer. Steam on medium-high heat for 5 minutes
THIS RECIPE CAN BE USED FOR OTHER STEAMED BUNS WITH FILLINGS
This recipe can be used for other typed of steamed buns that are filled with savory or sweet fillings such as these:
Dou Sha Bao
Char Siu Bao
Pumpkin Flower Steamed Buns
Momofuku Steamed Pork Buns
Easy Sweet Piggy Steamed Buns
Scallion Steamed Buns (Hua Juan)-2 ways
Spiral Mantou Recipe
Pandan Liu Sha Bao
So, yes you can still make soft fluffy steamed bao buns without any premixed flour and with just a few basic ingredients you probably already have at home! They won’t be as white as the ones in dim sum restaurants, but you won’t be disappointed either!
*I continue to update this post as I discover or learn something new when I make steamed buns to make sure others can replicate the same result (if not better!)*
For baking/ kueh making: I highly encourage to weigh ingredients with a digital kitchen scale instead of using measuring cups as they are not very accurate especially when it comes to recipe that requires precision.
GRAMS TO CUPS CONVERSION (UNSIFTED)INGREDIENTS
- 300 gr all-purpose flour - About 2 cups + 2 1/2 Tbsp (unsifted), plus more for dusting. See note 4
- 60 gr Wheat starch - about 1/2 cup (unsifted), or use cornstarch or potato starch (not potato flour)
- 4 gr Instant yeast - About 1 1/4 tsp, see note 1,2,3
- 60 gr sugar - 5 Tbsp, you can cut down on the sugar or add more to your taste
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1/2 tsp salt - optional
- Start with 150 ml (about 2/3 cup) of milk or water (make sure it's cold or room temperature, NOT warm) - plus more to dab the surface of the buns later, see note 5
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the dough with a machine:
- Place the all the flour, cornstarch/wheat starch, instant yeast, sugar, oil in a mixing bowl. If you are using a stand mixer, use a dough hook attachment. Add cold milk or room temperature water. If I use cake flour, I need less liquid, but if I use combination of all-purpose flour and cornstarch, I need close to 200 ml of liquid. So, start with 150 ml and add more until you can form a dough. You will most likely need to add more milk/water if the dough is still a bit dry. I would rather you start with a the lowest amount of liquid and add more teaspoon by teaspoon until the dough comes together and continue to knead for 5 minutes
Prepare the dough by hands:
- Place the all the flour, cornstarch/wheat starch, instant yeast, sugar, and oil in a mixing bowl. Start with 150 ml of liquid, most likely you will need more liquid than called for in the recipe. Mix until you get a rough dough (it's not going to be smooth yet). Cover and rest it for 15 minutes. Then go back and knead it. You'll be surprised by how easier it is to knead it now. Knead until the dough is smooth and pliable, about 10-15 minutes. At any point during kneading, you can always stop and rest the dough if you find it hard to knead. This is to relax the gluten. Then go back to knead again and you'll be surprised by the difference it makes by just resting the dough before kneading again. It's easier for you too
Rest the dough (to relax the gluten, not to proof the dough):
- Cover and rest the dough for 15 minutes. This is not to proof the dough. It shouldn't double in size. This is to relax the gluten for easier shaping and rolling the dough, then proceed to next step that's applicable to you
If you are going to make steamed buns with filling:
- Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Lightly dust the work surface with some flour. Work with one dough at a time. Knead the dough a few times to push out any air bubbles (if any). Flatten the dough with your palm and then use a rolling pin to roll it out to form a circle about 4-5 inches, with a slightly thicker middle part. This is to support the weight of the filling. Don't roll the dough too thin. If you roll the dough too thin, the filling might make the steamed buns "wrinkle" later when you steam. Place the filling at the center and then gather the sides to enclose the bun and pinch to seal. Flip the bun so the seam side is down now
- Cup the dough with both palms and move the dough in a circular motion to shape it taller. This part is important so your steamed buns come out tall instead of spreading to the side after steaming. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and proceed to proofing
If you are just making plain steamed buns with no filling (round shape):
- Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Lightly dust the work surface with some flour. Work with one dough at a time. Knead the dough a few times to push out any air bubbles (if any)
- Then pull and tuck the dough so the seams are at the bottom and the surface is smooth and round. Roll the dough into a smooth round ball in between the palm of your hand or as I did in the video. REALLY make sure the dough is smooth.
- Cup the dough with both palms and move the dough in a circular motion to shape it taller. This part is important so your steamed buns come out tall instead of spreading to the side after steaming
- Place on a piece of parchment paper. Lightly dab the surface of the bun with some milk using your finger to smooth the surface. Loosely cover with clean kitchen towel to prevent drying. Work with another dough and do the same. Proceed to proofing after that
For mantou shape:
- Roll the dough into a long log and use a dough cutter to cut into 8 equal portions using serrated knife is best so it won't squish the dough down. Lightly dab the surface of the bun with some milk using your finger to smooth the surface. Proceed to proofing step below
Proofing:
- Let the dough rise at room temperature or at a warm place. If it's winter where you are, you can use your oven "bread proof" function to let them proof in there, or simply turn on your oven to the lowest temperature and then turn off and after 15 minutes, place the shaped buns in there to let them proof. They won't necessarily double in size, but at least puff up to about 50% of the original size. This may take about 30 mins to 1 hour at a warm temperature. Don't go by the time however
- For active dry yeast and fresh yeast, you may need a bit longer for it to proof compare to instant yeast. If you use more sugar in the recipe, you may need to proof a bit longer too. Do not overproof your dough however
- How do you know if your buns have proofed ? They will be about 50% bigger than their original size AND when you lift them up, they should feel lighter. If not, let them proof a bit longer. They won't visually look bigger. Use a finger test too. When you gently push on the dough, it will leave an indentation but it will spring back slowly. This dough is perfectly proofed. If it springs back right away, it needs to be proofed a bit longer. If it never springs back, then you have over proofed the dough. Loosely cover them with a plastic wrap and put the overproofed buns in the fridge to slow down the proofing while waiting for the steamer
Steaming:
- Most likely your steamer won't be able to accommodate steaming all buns at one go, unless you have something like this 3-tier food steamer (which I really love). You may need to steam in 2-3 batches, which means, the rest of the batches will sit longer and continue to proof while waiting for the steamer. Not good for the buns! Here's what you can do: Make sure to cover them with plastic wrap and then place them in the refrigerator to slow down the yeast activity or halt it all together until they are ready to be steamed
- Bring the water in your steamer to a boil. Wrap the lid of your steamer with a kitchen towel to prevent moisture dripping back on the steamed buns as this will create "burn" spots
- LOWER THE HEAT TO MEDIUM. Place the buns in there, leaving about 1-inch space in between. Cover with a lid but leaving it about 1/4-inch gap for some steam to escape. Steam on medium heat for 15 minutes for plain medium-large buns with no filling, 20 minutes for large buns with raw meat filling. This is especially important if you see that you have overproof the steamed buns (the steamed buns have doubled in size and they have widened to the side). As long as you steam them like this, the buns will not wrinkle and collapse later when you take them out from the steamer
- After steaming, turn off the heat. DO NOT OPEN THE LID of the steamer. Let the buns sit there for 5 minutes or longer like this. The buns will not sink or wrinkle due to the sudden change in temperature
Cooling:
- Immediately remove the buns to wire rack to let them cool down. This is to ensure the bottom of the steamed buns will not be wet and soggy
Storing:
- If you make extra and plan to store them, let the already steamed buns cooled down completely and then place them on a baking sheet, not touching each other, and then put the entire tray inside the freezer for about 1 hour. They will harden, but not completely frozen yet. Transfer to a freezer bag and they will not stick to each other anymore. Try not to keep for more than 1 month
Reheating:
- They can go straight from freezer to steamer when you ready to eat them. Steam on high heat for 5 minutes and they are as good as new
Video
Notes
- You can use active dry yeast, but make sure to rehydrate the yeast in water or milk with 1 tsp of sugar. It will dissolve and be all foamy, about 10 minutes. If it's not, your yeast is no longer good. You can add the rest of the sugar into the dough later
- You can also use fresh yeast, the amount would be 4 x the amount of instant yeast. So you'll need 16 grams of fresh yeast
- I highly recommend testing the yeast for activity before starting to work on this recipe. You don't want to wait for hours only to find out your yeast is no longer good. Here's how:
Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast (one envelope) to 1/4 cup of warm water. Wait for 10 minutes and if you see foams and bubbles and you smell that yeast aroma, your yeast is still good to go. If not, then you need to get fresh yeast. - You can also replace all 300 gr of all-purpose flour and 60 gr cornstarch/wheat starch with 360 gr of cake flour or premixed Hongkong/Vietnamese bao flour and omit the wheat starch/corn starch.
- I recommend to start with small amount of liquid and add more as you go because it really depends on the type of flour you use (they absorb liquid differently) and that's why I can't give you an exact amount but 150 ml is a good start and add as you go.
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS:
These Soft and Fluffy No-Yeast Chinese Steamed Buns are so good and super easy to make! Worth checking out especially if you don’t like to work with yeast or just don’t have any yeast on hand!
ALSO CHECK OUT THIS SOFT AND FLUFFY WHOLE WHEAT (WHOLEMEAL) STEAMED BUNS!
DID YOU MAKE THIS SOFT FLUFFY STEAMED BUNS RECIPE?
I love it when you guys snap a photo and tag to show me what you’ve made 🙂 Simply tag me @WhatToCookToday #WhatToCookToday on Instagram and I’ll be sure to stop by and take a peek for real!
130 comments
I had find the reasons why.
Thank you. When complete, our banh bao look great. Soft to the touch. However, they are dry to the taste. A bit crumbly. What is causing this.
Hi Joe, dry and crumbly buns/bread can be caused by too much flour and not enough balance of water and also may not be kneaded enough. Did you knead by hands or with a machine?
Hi..my dough is forming some brown spots after steaming. Could you please advise where did i went wrong.
Hmm…this is interesting! I’ve never encountered this before. I would probably check on the flour you use, hopefully it’s still pretty fresh and not too old. Some people say it could also be a water quality issue. Did the steamed buns turn out soft and fluffy ? If not, I would check on the yeast too.
Hi Marv,
Your Momofuku recipe is great but unfortunately, that is not what I meant.
As you can see in the video at 1:07, there’s a lowered space for all the fillings to go into:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul2Ogucud4s&t=67s
Whereas the baos I make are flat and the fillings sit between the top and bottom as opposed to going inside the bottom of the bao.
I hope you understand what I’m trying to say but if not no worries at all 🙂
Thanks,
Richard
Hi Richard, ahh…I know what you mean now. It’s kinda bowl-like. The filling doesn’t fall all over the place easily that way too. I’ve never tried to shape it that way obviously, but I’m wondering if we were to make it bigger and then just shape it more bowl-like after that would work. I guess I would have to try that next time and see. But I totally understand what you mean 🙂
Hi! how do you make your buns smooth and paper-like finish? I always get shiny coating for my buns. Moreover, the buns were soft and pillowy after removing from the steamer. but after putting them in the chiller/freezer (even after re-steaming and/or the cover-with-damp-cloth microwaving), the buns didn’t go back to soft and pillowy
Hi Chary, I notice that it also depends on the flour we use (referring to the shiny coating). I usually use cake flour or combinations of all-purpose flour and wheat starch or sometimes potato starch if I run out of cake flour. I notice if I use combinations of all-purpose flour and cornstarch the buns will be “shinier”.
Hi Marv, you’re right whole milk does make a little difference but not a lot.
Also when I was in Taiwan, I noticed that the baos there had a “mouth” shape for the fillings to go into whereas my baos have a flatter shape. It’s hard to explain but can be seen from this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul2Ogucud4s
Do you have any idea how they do this?
Thanks,
Richard
Hi Richard, you mean something like this https://whattocooktoday.com/how-to-make-momofuku-style-flat-buns.html ?
Hi Marv,
I’d like to know how to make the bund still soft & fluffy for the next day without steam it again.
Thanks
Hi Monica, I wish I know how to make them still soft and fluffy without reheating again the next day (just like how they are when just come out from the steamer). I know the commercial bread and buns manage to do this by adding thing like “bread improver” that makes their bread and steamed buns stay soft for days or even weeks. Otherwise, for our homemade bread (even with tangzhong method) or steamed buns, it’s hard to achieve this kind of result.
Hi Marv, thanks for sharing this great recipe. I was wondering what the difference is between making the baos with water vs milk. I tried both and didn’t really notice a major difference. Would love to get your opinion on this. Thanks, Richard
Hi Richard, some people claim that making it with milk makes the steamed buns more “aromatic”. If I make them with skim milk (which I usually do anyway), I don’t notice a huge difference, maybe just a tiny bit in terms of the texture, just a bit. If I make it with whole milk then I can taste more of the difference.
I’ve never made steamed buns. They look so fluffy! I’m usually a bit intimidated working with yeast, but you included lots of helpful tips in this post! Thanks!
Hi Diya, Yes, it can be intimidating at first, if you follow the recipe closely, you should be okay. Please let me know if anything is unclear and I can help to clarify 🙂
These were yummy. I use to eat them when I was a kid. My friend’s father use to make them for us and I never thought I would have these again. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for your recipe! Look delicious. I try it already and it come out so great – I think!
Thank you for the recipe. I’ve tried several recipe for bao and this one so far is the best. I did change the ratio APF and WS to 280 and 80 and add 3 Tbsp of milk since the dough was a bit too dry. I live in Seattle and I made it in July so not sure whether that made a difference or not. All in all it is really good. Thank you again.
Hello there, I’m glad you like the recipe and the amount of liquid I put in the recipe card is on the “low” side on purpose. Since people are using a different kind of flour combinations, I thought it’s better to start with the minimum amount and add as needed rather than ended up with too wet of the dough and having to keep adding flour. Thank you again for trying and for letting me know 🙂
I tried your recipe a couple of times, and I managed to get it to look pretty and airy. But my buns seem to be heavy and taste as though it is not cooked. When I press on it, the indent stays, unlike a normal bao. Do you have any idea why is that the case?
Hi Bob, may I know if the bun was proofed enough, like about 50% of their original size ? They should feel much lighter after proofing. Another possibility is also they may need to be steamed a bit longer.
I absolutely love this recipe!!! No big issues, love the texture, the taste and especially how convenient it is to make!
Hi Angeline, I’m happy to know that you like it too and I have to agree that the recipe is no fuss, no proofing twice and all those other things I used to do 🙂 Thank you for your feedback 🙂
I tried today, my buns looks nice but not light and fluffy. It become hard and dense after cool down.
Any suggestion please?
Hi Nang, did the buns rise for about 50% of their original size during proofing? They should feel lighter after proofing.
Tried this recipe tonight and I have two notes: 1) bao absolutely needs salt and I don’t think it should be marked as optional. I used a pinch more (by measuring spoon) than the recipe specifies and it went a long way. So 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of salt instead of 1/2 will bring out the right flavors. 2) not enough milk or water. I ended up adding almost 100ml in addition to the 150ml in order to have workable, stretchable dough.
Thank you for your feedbacks Shawn. The reason I put “start with 150 ml” it’s because of the different flour combination that one might use to make steamed buns. If I use cake flour, I usually don’t need as much liquid vs if I use a combination of all-purpose and cornstarch or all-purpose and wheat starch/potato starch. It may differ slightly. Some people also may use water instead of milk, etc, etc. I would rather that you start with a drier dough and add more as you go instead of ending up with a “wet” dough, which is hard to “rescue” later.
Hello! Thank you for the detailed explanations in your recipes. I’m trying out the white bun recipe as we speak!
Just wanted to ask though, I noticed that oil is missing from the “hand knead” process. Does this mean that if I’m kneading the dough by hand, I wouldn’t need to add in the oil?
Hi Rinna, thank you for bringing that up. Yes, you still need the oil. Just add it in along with other ingredients before you start adding liquid. I hope that helps to clarify. Please let me know how it turned out for you if you have the chance to do so 🙂
Thank you so much for the recipe, it’s very detailed. My buns come out very smooth & fluffy!
Thank you! I’m glad your steamed buns came out perfect 🙂
Can use potato starch to substitute wheat starch in making the Pao?
Hi Nic, yes you can use potato starch to substitute for wheat starch too besides cornstarch.
Hi,
Just out of curiosity, have you ever tried making this with autolyse/tangzhong/yudane method?
Because I only have old fashioned stand mixer, lately I have been making bread using autolyse method to cut down the kneading time and to get soft and smooth texture bread.
So reading your method of hand kneading the dough, I wonder if the length of kneading time can be cut down by autolysing the flour and liquid first.
Hi Donna,
I haven’t tried it myself, not with steamed buns anyway, but yes you definitely can use autolyse method, I don’t see why not. That will definitely cut down on the amount of kneading you need to do. It’s the same principle with making tangzhong bread too I suppose.
Hi! I made this recipe and they were delicious. But after proofing them for about one hour, they didn’t double it’s size. Do you have any idea why?
Hello! how’s the texture of the steamed buns after steamed? were they soft and fluffy? Is there any chance that the yeast might not be fresh anymore? You can test the yeast by doing this: add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast (one envelope) to 1/4 cup of warm water. Then, wait 10 minutes. If the mixture is foamy, then the yeast is still good.
oh, and also, they usually won’t double in size, but as long as you see they puff up some, about 50% of their original size and the proofed doughs are lighter when you lift them up, they are good to go. I’m not sure where you live, but if the temperature is colder, it may take longer to proof too, but 1 hour is more than enough though! it shouldn’t even take that long usually.
Thanks for this pao recipe and instruction. Its work, finally i can make bun smooth and soft 👍
Hi Tri, yay!! I’m glad it works out for you!! Thank you so much for your feedback!!
Hi, I want to try this but where’s the cake flour in the recipe? Thanks.
Hi Cathy, it’s under note 3 in the recipe card: You can also replace all 300 gr of all-purpose flour and 60 gr cornstarch/wheat starch with 360 gr of cake flour or premixed Hongkong/Vietnamese bao flour and omit the wheat starch/corn starch.
So basically you use 360 gr of cake flour and you don’t need other type of flour. Hope this helps!
Great tips! I looked at several recipes and yours had the tips and tricks that this novice baker needed. I wasn’t sure about the grams part (being American) so I found another recipe in cups. (1 3/4c flour + 2tbs sugar + 2tbs oil + 1 packet activated dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp) + 1/2c lukewarm water). I totally forgot to activate the yeast, but it worked! I’ve read some places you don’t really need to do that extra step. I also didn’t have corn starch and left that out. Turned out great. Thanks!!
Hello Jax, I’m glad the recipe worked out for you in the end. I’ve included the U.S. measurements too. I should’ve done that. Thank you for trying and for your feedback 🙂
Thanks for you reply Marv! (For some reason I’m having trouble responding directly to your comment).
I wanted to point out, since I didn’t in my original comment, that the buns I made were still absolutely delicious and super easy to make (I was really surprised at how simple the whole thing ended up being). I will definitely be making this again soon to meal prep some char siu bao as quick snacks or a cheat meal when we’re feeling lazy (husband and I have already devoured the batch I made. Oops!). Texture wise they were perfect, and the husband was pretty impressed at how they had that nice soft fluffiness, but still the light chew.
I tthought I’d also add that we’ve had great experience freezing and then reheating in the microwave instead of steaming again – a wet paper towel draped over the top and microwaved for a minute had the buns feeling like they were almost freshly steamed, and the filling was perfectly reheated!
You made a good point out about the flour! I used Bobs Red Mill AP flour, which is unbleached. I’m thinking maybe bleached flours leave you with a whiter looking mantou as well? Ultimately, it doesn’t make a difference since it all gets gobbled up nonetheless!
Oh…sorry for the trouble! I didn’t know people have trouble replying directly to comment. Hmm!! I have to figure out what’s the problem. Was there any error message you can remember when you try to reply?
Thank you for the tips of reheating with microwave (we didn’t have one lol!) but other readers can benefit from this. Bleached flour definitely will give you whiter buns that’s for sure. The last few batches I made, I used King Arthur’s Unbleached all-purpose and they were definitely more “yellow”, but like you said, it’s just the color. In fact, I like unbleached flour better, they don’t have that “smell” I don’t know how to explain ha.ha…! Unbleached flour is “nuttier” IMHO. It only matters for people who really want the steamed buns to be really white like those at dim sum places 🙂
I just made this today and thought I’d leave a comment with a couple of things i experienced, if anyone else comes across this and wants to try it as well!
The dough recipe itself was really easy and for the most part I’d say it turned out great. I opted for milk and then added in extra water (mine definitely needed quite a bit of extra liquid to come together). I used my Kitchenaid stand mixer for mixing, I stopped mine before 5 minutes as it seemed fine.
I ended up filling mine with some left over chashu pork belly I made yesterday (not exactly the same as it would be in char siu bao but it was close enough).
For starters, if you want to use this recipe for char siu bao, you might want to add more sugar into your dough. I’m not super sure how this will react with the yeast though (or if this has any effect at all). I ended up looking at a few other recipes afterwards and noticed that they all use significantly more sugar in the dough. I know the plain mantou and the char siu bao I’ve eaten all have a noticeable sweetness to the bun. Next time I make this, I will definitely be using significantly more sugar.
The next point is because I’m an idiot, but don’t miss the step where you place them on parchment paper for proofing! I didn’t. Guess who was stuck peeling their buns off the tray, and therefore deflating them? Me.
Mine definitely weren’t as smooth and white and pretty looking as store bought frozen mantou or the ones in the pictures. I’m assuming that comes down to your flour. I used AP + corn starch. I think next time I’ll try cake flour instead or trying to get ahold of the HK flour typically used for bao!
Hi Shannon, thank you so much for sharing your detailed experience. You can definitely add more sugar to the dough. The only effect it will have with the yeast is that you may need to proof it a bit longer for it to be about 50% of its original size, but that’s all, your steamed buns will still turn out. Aww….I could imagine the horror on your face when you realized you didn’t proof them on a parchment paper 🙁 No fun for sure!! I did notice even different brands of all-purpose flour gives different kinds of “whiteness”. Some brands give me whiter buns than the other, but the cake flour and HK flour usually always turn out whiter among all. I hope you have a smoother experience next time! Thank you for sharing and trying! Kudos to you! *pat on the back*
Hi,
Thanks for the super detailed write-up! I live in Denmark where there is only fresh yeast available – do you know how many grams I should use instead? Thanks so much! 🙂
Hi Elle, yes, you can use fresh yeast. It would be about 16 grams (4 times the amount of instant yeast). I hope this helps! Let me know how it turns out if you get a chance to try! 🙂
Hi, may I know how to avoid soggy bottom of the bun. Thank you
Hi Jenny, after removing from the steamer, place them on a cooling rack, this will avoid the bottom of the buns being wet and soggy
LOVE this recipe. Although I cannot seem to get the smooth surface, I’ve made these several times with many different fillings. Huge fan of your Cheung Fan too!
Hi Mirfie, hmmm…let’s see!! make sure you start with at least room temperature (best, cold liquid) so the yeast won’t start to work immediately and you don’t have much air bubbles to push out when you shape and fill the steamed buns. Watch the heat too when you steam, steam it low-medium heat and let them sit in there for at least 1 minute after steaming before you crack open the lid.
I read this on your suggestion to have a smooth dough. I copy and pasted it.
-Air bubbles and not shaping them smooth
Make sure you push all the air bubbles out after the first rise. Re-knead the though few times and then shape the buns. Make sure the surface of the buns are smooth or they will come out well..not smooth after steaming.
My question is you suggested ro push the air n the 1st rise…. isnt it that we only let it rise once and that is when we have put the filling( therrbis any) orbhave shaped them so how can we push the air out? you said that after kneadimg, you just let it REST for 15 mins and that is not proofing yet, that is just to rest the gluten. Therefore proffing is done after we put the filling( if the is any) and have shaped them so how can we let the air escape? pleae clarify. Thanks!
Hi Aiphee,
I’ve updated the post over the years and I think I left that little part out during the update and I shouldn’t use the term ” 1st rise” anymore, because like you said we only let it rises once. After the 15 minute rest to relax the gluten, divide the dough into smaller doughs, work with one at a time, knead the dough a few times and push out all air bubbles if any (there shouldn’t be any since the dough is not warm enough for the yeast to work yet). Flatten the dough and then fill it if you want to. If not, just pull and tuck the dough from top to bottom so the seams are at the bottom and the surface is relatively smooth.
I hope this helps to clarify? If not, please let me know. Sorry for the confusion.
Hi, you made lovely n wonderful pao. I was wondering if I can use self raising flour to do pao. Thanks.
Hi Judy, my only concern with using self-rising flour is that there is baking powder in the mixture, which usually will activate once it gets mixed with water, which means the dough will puff too soon before we actually want it to puff (the steamed buns will not be smooth). This recipe only requires one-time proofing after you shape (or filled the buns) If getting a smooth surface for the buns is not a priority, it should be okay to use self-rising flour. I hope this makes sense.
I tried the recipe with superfine flour I believe this is equivalent with cake flour , also I didn’t proof it for the first time but when I steamed the buns , it is not soft …I use low fire also and off the fire for 3 mins before open … for the final proof I proof about 30 mins …
After you proof it for 30 minutes, did you notice that the buns were “lighter” or at least puff up some? they won’t significantly double in size but they should feel lighter and puff up a bit. Were the steamed buns feel “densed” and tough when you eat them?
Hi! Can I use cassava starch instead of corn starch?
Hi Janie, I haven’t tried using cassava starch myself, but I don’t see why you can’t. It should be pretty close. Hope this helps!
Recipes looks delicious!
Thanks Ai Lin !!
Hi – So if I am using cups to measure the amount of all purpose flour, I should use 3 cups?
Hi Jimmy, yes if you are using standard measuring cups. I prefer to use grams/oz if you have a scale. It’s more accurate. Hope this helps
Thank you for your detailed recipes. Much appreciated.
Hi Shirley, You are very welcome. I’m glad you find the details useful 🙂
Thanks for the troubleshooting tips. However, there are few things I would like to address after trying your recipe.
1) The liquid is way too little. You ask for 1/2 cup of milk/water. I think it should be about 1-1/2 cup instead. Probably you made a typo in the recipe.
2) Since I used cold milk for the liquid, I had to rest for about 30 minutes instead of 15 minutes for the first rise.
3) Adding salt is good for savory filling, but better not adding it for plain buns or sweet fillings like red bean paste.
Overall, good tips and fast bun recipe. Just needs to adjust a little bit for better result. Thanks.
Hi Pansy,
Thank you for trying and for taking time to share your experience. I usually like to suggest people start with half of the liquid and then gradually adds more because the amount of liquid needed may vary slightly, depending on the type of flour being used. I forgot to mention that the 15 minutes rest, is not to rise the dough, in fact, you don’t want the dough to rise (not at this point). The rest is only to relax the gluten so it’s easier to shape the buns after that. I’ve added this into the recipe. Appreciate you bring this point up. And yes, I agree, adding salt or not is really a personal preference, some people like to add just a tiny pinch of salt to bring out flavor, though not necessarily alter the taste entirely 🙂 Thank you so much for letting me know. I’m glad you find it “fast” too.
I tried your recipe but no matter what I try the bao always come out extremely soft and gooey, almost like bubble gum. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Gary, may I know what kind of flour you use? From your description it may be the buns are probably not cooked through? If you can provide me with more info, hopefully I can help to troubleshoot.
Can I steam the buns using a pressure cooker, if yes, high or low pressure and for how long?
Hi wM, yes you can steam the buns using Instant pot pressure cooker (that’s what I have). You can pour about 1 cup of water in the inner pot. Set the trivet in there and place the steamed buns on top of the trivet or you can put them in a bamboo steamer that will fit in your instant pot. Pressure cook on high for 3 minutes. The steamed buns may not come out as smooth but it should work. Let me know how it turns out if you will.
I made these for the first time tonight. It was actually the first time I’ve ever had steamed buns also. They were AMAZING! I didn’t even have cake flour, I just used the substitute you suggested, and theywere still so light and fluffy. I also filled mine with a lentil zucchini filling I made and it made for the perfect meal. I’ll be making this recipe again for sure, especially when we have company!
Hi Hope, I’m so delighted to read you like how the steamed buns turned out. And you made steamed buns for the first time too!!! wow!! impressive! I failed many times before I could even make it perfect ha..ha..! Yum….love the idea of lentil zucchini filling!!! Thank you so much for letting me know 🙂
hi Marvellina,
How long to knead the dough if using stand mixer?
Hi Jin Woon,
Roughly about 5 minutes or might be less until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky. Hope this helps!
Hi, i have come accross your recipe and would really like to give it a go, however i am from the UK and we dont have Cake Flour, we do have a Sponge Mix? would that be ok to use? https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/301661678
Hi Rebecca, the sponge flour should not be used as a substitute for cake flour. I see the ingredients in the sponge flour and it has raising agents, which we don’t need in this steamed buns recipe. If I may suggest you to just use regular plain flour and add cornstarch to it, this will make it similar to cake flour. You can use 255 gr plain flour (about 2 1/2 cups) + 45 gr (3/8 cups) cornstarch. The texture won’t be exactly the same with cake flour, but it will definitely be softer than just using plain flour. I hope this helps!
Hiay Marvellina
Thx for all the tips.
Isnt cake flour made up of all purpose flour n constarch?
It it because your former recipe did not have the right proportion of all purpose flour ( plain flour) and cornstarch (that makes up cakeflour) that you now find using cake flour yield softer results?
J
Hi,
From what I’ve read and told, cake flour has lower gluten content compared to regular all-purpose flour. It is milled much finer too. We can make our “own” cake flour by combining AP flour with cornstarch, but from what I’ve seen, it’s not exactly the same with the store-bought cake flour. Perhaps if I can find the “right” ratio of AP : cornstarch might help like you mentioned. That’s why I found that using the cake flour is still much softer than my own homemade cake flour (though the homemade cake flour is still much better compared to if you use straight AP flour!)
Hi when you mention about freezing the buns, is the process before or after you have already steamed them? 🙂
Hi Darelle, it’s after you steamed the buns. Sorry if I forgot to clarify that in my post. Hope this helps!
Hello Ms. Marvelina, will the same freezing/storing method work if I were to make baos that are folded in half? I plan to make them in advance and serve at a big get together.
Hello there, yes, the freezing/storing method is exactly the same 🙂
Hi, Ms. Marvellina just wanna ask about storing. Do you store the buns in the freezer, unsteamed or already steamed? Thank you.
Hi Julia,
I store the buns in the freezer already steamed. once the buns have cooled down, I place them on a baking sheet or a tray, not touching each other and then put in the freezer for one hour and then transfer to a freezer bag, they won’t stick to each other anymore and save freezer space. You can reheat straight from freezer to steamer for about 10 minutes (depending on how big the buns are). Hope this helps 🙂
Hi, can we use an electric steamer ? If yes, what temperature would you recommend (max is 100c). Thanks
Hi Sabrina, I don’t have an electric steamer or use one before. You should be able to use an electric steamer to steam the buns, I just can’t tell you for sure the temperature setting though. I know at 100 C the water is rolling boil, so I would imagine if you can try steaming at the medium heat and see how it goes. Sorry I can’t tell you for sure since I’ve never tried it with an electric steamer before.
I only have active dry yeast available. Could you elaborate what extra steps is necessary when using active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?
Thanks.
Hi Nils, you can rehydrate the yeast in water or milk with 1 tsp of sugar. It will dissolve and be all foamy, about 10 minutes. If it’s not, your yeast is not longer good. You can add the rest of the sugar into the dough later. I hope this helps.
How long does it take to proof the buns until they are 50% bigger in size? You mention how to proof them but not how long?
I would say about 15-20 minutes, but don’t go by just the time too because it also depends on how warm it is, etc. But roughly about that time frame
Hi! I want to fill my buns with custard, but I’m not sure when I should do that. Should I proof then fill or fill then proof?
Hi Jenny, You will fill the buns and then proof them. Only one proofing needed, and then next step would be steaming.
If I were to fill these buns with custard, when would I do it? Should I fill them then proof or proof then fill?
Hi!i make my method it have baking powder and my surface some smooth and some crack how to make to smooth all and how many time to steam a big steamedbuns?
Hi Vinny, I don’t use baking powder in my steamed buns recipe. I don’t think it’s necessary because the yeast is already doing what it supposed to do, leavening the steamed buns. You can watch the short video in this post on how I smooth the buns and my tips on how not to overproof the buns and to steam the buns on low heat. All these will help to have steamed buns with smooth surface. If I may recommend you read the post if you haven’t already,it will help a lot I think!
Hi! Can I have the measurements in cups and tea/tablespoon, please?
Hi Sharon, I’ve updated the recipe accordingly. Hope it helps!
Thank you for the excellent tips! I have 2 questions, please:
1. I want to make the buns which are sort of folded over with a gap where to insert filling after steaming – do you think I should shape as you instructed and then perhaps push a chopstick through one side to make a gap or just flatten the dough slightly into an oval and gently fold it?
2. I need to prepare the buns ahead of a dinner party – do I understand correctly that should I prepare and proof the buns and stick them in the refrigerator in the morning, the proofing will be halted? Should I then steam them directly from the fridge or allow them to come to room temperature first?
Thank you very much!!
Hi Katya,
1. You can use a chopstick or insert a parchment paper in between. Actually, I have tried it without either one and just fold over after roll into oval shape, and I can still open up the buns to sandwich a filling in between after. It’s up to you.
2. Make sure when you put them in the fridge to halt the proofing, you cover it well with plastic wrap or they will dry out and develop a “crust”. Let the buns come to room temperature before you steam them. What good questions you have!
Good luck with the party! Please let me know how they turn out for you if you have the chance to do so.
Mmm..it was a bit stiff and not fluffy.
Hi! Made these tonight. Absolutely lovely. Is there no salt in the recipe? Thank you!
I also let the dough proof as I went to the gym for an hour. After an hour I shaped them and let them proof for 15 minutes. Steamed for 15 min. took them out and ate them. The buns were super smooth, soft and pillowy. Next time I’ll add a little salt to the dough for boost in flavor.
Hello there, there’s no salt in the recipe, but you can definitely add it if you want too. Thank you for letting me know. Glad to know that you still have smooth buns after proofing the buns twice!
I am using cake flour, and yes it look a bit bigger than original before I steam it.
Okay, so at least we know the yeast is working. But you mentioned “stiff”, did the bun have a tough texture? Now I’m also wondering about the level of heat when you steamed this. It has happened to me several times when I steamed on medium heat, they come out not as smooth like the ones you show on your photos, but when I lower the heat close to low, they come out smooth.
Hi Marv,
I tried the recipe with red bean paste. The result I get is not fluffy like yours. Mine seem stiff and doesn’t seem as smooth as yours. https://imgur.com/iokLoQr
Not sure what I did wrong.
Hi Hajjar,
What kind of flour you use and did the buns puff up a bit (proof) before you steam them?
Very good post., will definatetly try it. I have few questions.
1). You have to wait for 1-2 min before removing them. Mmm… sound like I have to turn off the heat and then turn it back on for the next batch. Am I right? Is there a better way to do it?
2). Regarding the storage, do I need to bake them first?
Thanks.
Hi Hajjar,
1. Yes, you need to turn off the heat and then turn it back on for the next batch. It does sound a bit inconvenient to be honest, but I haven’t found a better way to do this 🙂
2. You steam all of them first, let them cool down, and then you can either store in the refrigerator or in the freezer for longer storage. If you are going to store in the freezer, place them on a baking sheet not touching each other and let them freeze for about 1 hour then after that you can transfer to freezer bag (save more space) and they won’t stick to each other anymore
Hi, I love the finished look of your buns! I just recently made my first steamed buns and would love to practice with filling. I looked at your other steamed bun recipes with fillings but wasn’t sure how this recipe would affect those. Should I proof the buns only after I added the filling? Please advise! Thanks
Hi Vinni, yes you proof the buns only after you added the filling. You follow the basic recipe until the shaping into smooth bun part no.7 and then flatten the dough with your palm and then use a rolling pin to roll the sides thinner to form a circle with a thicker middle part. This is to support the weight of the filling. I hope this helps.
Hi!
I’m curious if I’m just missing the actual combining of ingredients for this recipe? Does the 3 tsp of divided sugar get added all at once? Is there a specific order and way to add the ingredients together? From what I see the method just starts at kneading the dough.
I made these the other day and just combined everything at once–they came out quite dry, so I’m trying to troubleshoot.
Thank you!
Hi Tess, somehow that part of the instruction was missing after I updated the post. It must have accidentally got deleted or something, sorry for the inconvenience. I’ve updated the recipe. Basically with instant yeast, you don’t have to dissolve it in water, so you can put everything in a mixing bowl and then gradually add in liquid (milk or water), I stated 150 ml to start with, you may need to add more until the dough come together and continue to knead for 5 minutes with stand mixer or 10 minutes by hands until the dough is really smooth.
I changed the flour to Cake flour after reading this recipe. It was indeed soft. Although, I still had some issues with the dough having this glossy outside with some air bubbles. I might have to try again.
Hi Ariel, try the shaping technique I share in the post (if you haven’t already) and make sure to start with room temperature water when you make the dough so the yeast doesn’t work too quickly while you are shaping the dough.
I’m more than a little obsessed with perfecting this recipe. I fell in love with Bao about 5 or 6 years ago and have made at least 20 batches. My wife says I need Baozi Anonymous to deal with my addiction. Lol.
I have tried many different combinations of dough and fillings and I would love to compare notes!
-Chef Chris in Iowa
Hi Chef, Ha..ha…Baozi anonymous! That’s a good one! You know…I’m also still continuing to perfect this recipe too. I’d love to hear what’s your favorite combination of dough so far 🙂 I haven’t tried a combination of all-purpose flour and Chinese wheat starch. I’ve seen someone uses it and plan to try it when I get a hold of wheat starch. Then there’s also Hongkong Bao flour that I’ve yet to try too.
This is a great recipe, thanks so much! My only issue: The skin of the finished bao (after steaming that means) always shows tiny bubbles although I make sure to knead the dough very well after the first proofing. The skin also looks absolutely smooth before I steam the bao. Do you have any idea what could cause those bubbles?
Hi Tadaima,
Do you remember if you steam the buns over high heat probably? or if any water or condensation dropped on the bun during steaming?
Thanks for this pao recipe. Will definately give it a try! I’m thinking this pao served with sticky pork belly.. Yum! 😉
yumboo! I’ll eat it with pork belly for sure, dip them into the sauce. OMG! haha!!
i love the crab shape pao!! you’re so skillful 🙂
LOL! I watched the video on youtube on how to make that one! ;b
Steamed buns are my favorite! and i loved the designs you have tried out with them- pure fun!
It has been a long time since I make bao. Your post makes me want to make it again soon!
love making steamed buns I haven’t added baking powder