Sausage Steamed Buns / Sausage Bao (with easy and fun designs)
Course: Steamed Buns
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep Time: 25 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 8 minutesminutes
Resting and proofing the dough:: 1 hourhour15 minutesminutes
Total Time: 1 hourhour48 minutesminutes
Servings: 12buns
Author: Marvellina
Sausages/hotdogs are wrapped in soft and fluffy steamed buns dough (bao/mantou) and steamed to perfections. This post also shows you several different ways to wrap bao/steamed buns.
12sausages/hot dogsyou can use Chinese sausage too
Instructions
Prepare the dough:
Once you have prepared the basic bao dough, cover and let the dough rests for 15 minutes. This is to relax the gluten. The dough will not rise. After the rest, divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Keep them covered and work with one dough at a time
For flower shape:
Roll the dough out into a rectangle, about the length of the sausage/hotdog you use, and about 3 inches wide. Roll it up then cut it into half. And then cut the half into half again, being careful not to cut all the way through and open up to stretch the dough. Do the same with the other half. Stack one on top of the other to form a "flower" shape. Place on parchment paper
For braided shape:
Roll the dough out into a rectangle, slightly a bit longer than the length of the sausage/hotdog you use, and about 3 inches wide. Cut strips on both sides. Overlap the strip from both sides. Place on parchment paper
For ring shape:
Roll the dough out into a rectangle, about the length of the sausage/hotdog you use, and about 3 inches wide. Roll it up. Make 7 cuts, but don’t cut all the way through. Gently bent to form a ring. Place on a piece of parchment paper
For twist shape:
This is similar to making the ring shape. Sorry, I forgot to take the step-by-step photo, but you can see it in the video. Make 8 cuts instead of 7 and then twist them
Proof the shaped buns:
Cover the shaped dough with a damp towel. I put in my oven using “breadproof” function to let them puff up to about 50% of their original size. They should feel lighter. This may take 30 minutes to 1 hour or longer, depending on the temperature
Steam the buns:
Bring the water in the steamer to a rolling boil and then lower to medium. Place the steamed buns on the steaming rack. You may need to steam in batches
Wrap the lid of the steamer with a cloth to prevent condensation from dripping on the buns creating ugly burnt spots. IMPORTANT: Cover with a lid leaving about 1/4-1/2 inch gap to allow steam to escape. The steamed buns will be smooth when you steam this way. Steam on medium heat (NOT high heat) for 8 minutes
After 8 minutes, turn off the heat and wait for 1 minute before fully opening the lid. Remove the buns and place on a cooling rack immediately so the bottom of the buns won’t get wet and soggy from the trapped condensation