Chinese Golden Ingot Steamed Buns (Jin Yuanbao Baozi)
Course: Chinese New Year, Steamed Buns
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep Time: 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 8 minutesminutes
Proof the dough:: 1 hourhour
Total Time: 1 hourhour38 minutesminutes
Servings: 16small buns
Author: Marvellina
Soft fluffy steamed buns with natural color from pumpkin and shaped into Chinese gold ingot (jin yuanbao) that symbolizes prosperity to welcome the Chinese New Year
60grsugar about 5 Tbsp, more if you want it sweeter
200grmashed pumpkin
1tspoil
50mlcold/room temperature water start with this amount. You may or may not need more liquid
Instructions
Making the dough with a machine:
Place all ingredients for the dough in a mixing bowl, except for the water. Use the dough hook attachment and start kneading the dough. Depending on how much liquid is in the mashed pumpkin, you may add a bit water, teaspoon by teaspoon if needed. Knead the dough on medium speed for 10-12 minutes until it is smooth and very stretchy
Making the dough by hands:
Place all ingredients for the dough in a mixing bowl, except for the water. Mix until you get a rough dough (it's not going to be smooth yet) and add water a bit by a bit as needed. 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 15-20 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:
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
Shape:
Divide the dough into 16 small equal portions. Keep them covered. Work with one at a time. Take one dough and divide that one into two. Roll one of them into a round ball. Roll the other one flat into about 2-inch round circle. Cut the circle in half. Wet the bottom with a bit of water and attach them to the round ball to form a gold ingot (refer to the step-by-step photo instructions above if you are unclear). Place on a piece of parchment paper and place on a tray. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
Proof the dough:
Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let them proof in a warm place until they are 50% larger than the original size. This may take somewhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the temperature
Test the dough:
When you gently press on the dough, it should slowly bounce back. If it bounces back immediately, it needs to be proofed longer. Also, lift the dough up to feel if they are lighter. A nicely proofed dough will feel much lighter than before. They won't necessarily double in size, but will be at least 50% larger than the original size. When all these three are met, the buns are ready to be steamed
Steam the buns:
Bring the water in your steamer to a rolling boil. Wrap the steamer's lid with a cloth
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 and the buns will not wrinkle. Steam on medium heat for 8 minutes
After 8 minutes, turn off the heat and let them sit for another 1 minute so the steamed buns won't shrink due to sudden temperature change. Remove from the steamer to a cooling rack so the bottom of the buns will not be wet and soggy