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525g flour + extra for dusting
1.5 tbspoon caster sugar + a pinch
7g dried yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
50ml milk
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Today we complete Snazzie's choice for the 2017 Chinese New Years dish. These buns seem a lot of work to make yourself and you can also buy them ready made. But maybe unnecessarily: freshly baked they taste really much, much better than purchased :)
Besides, the rising takes long but the actual work is quickly done. You also do kids who enjoy cooking a favour, they love to help! The recipe makes 18 little buns, we prefer 8 bigger ones. It's your choice!
How to Bao buns
Dissolve yeast and the pinch sugar in a tbspoon warm water.
Place the flour, the sugar and the salt into a mixing bowl.
Pour the yeast mixture into a well in the flour.
Add the milk, oil, vinegar and 200ml water to the mixture.
Mix everything together into a coarse dough.
Dust your workplace with some flour.
Knead the dough smooth in 10-15 minutes.
Lightly grease a big bowl with oil.
Put in the dough, cover with cling film.
Leave the dough to rise 2 hours.
Tip the dough from the bowl.
Flatten the dough completely using your hands.
Sprinkle on baking powder, knead 5 minutes.
Roll the dough into a snake of 3cm thickness.
Cut the snake into cubes.
Roll the cubes into balls.
Roll the balls into ovals.
Lightly brush the dough with oil.
Brush a drop of oil on a chop stick too, place it in the center of the oval then fold the bun over the chopstick. Gently pull out the chop stick.
Place the folded buns on a baking tray covered in waxed paper.
Cover the buns with lightly oiled cling film.
Leave the buns to prove in a warm place for 1.5 hours.
Steam the buns for 8 up to 15 minutes, depending on the size.
The Bao buns for the children need only pork and pickles.
Today Spring Festival really starts! Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy New Year!