How to make the easiest steamed buns
The recipe only needs five ingredients: flour, water, yeast, sugar, and baking powder. Actually, the baking powder is optional! The are several tips on how to make sure the buns do not shrink after steaming and stay fluffy.
Ingredients:
All-purpose flour: 600 grams
Cold water: 360 grams
Dry yeast: 10 grams
Sugar: 80 gram
Baking powder (optional): 5 grams
Steps:
- Mix the yeast and sugar with the cold water and let it sit for 10-15 minutes, the yeast will start to bubble. Use cold water to prevent yeast to rise too quickly before shaping the buns.
- Add in the flour and the baking powder and knead the dough on the kitchen counter for about 5 minutes then cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes, let the dough form the gluten.
- Prepare the steamer with six small pieces of parchment paper for the buns to rest on.
- Knead the dough for another 5 minutes, the dough should be very smooth.
- Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, to relax the gluten.
- Cut the dough into six even buns.
- Roll out each bun with a pin thinly to push out the large bubbles in the dough, then fold the bun into half and roll it out again. Then shape each bun into a round ball by hand until the outer layer becomes smooth.
- Place the round buns into the steamer and cover it with a wet cloth. Let the buns rise for 1.5 hours or until the buns double in size.
- Uncover the buns and let them rise for another 30 minutes. Uncovering the buns will help create a thin layer around the buns, giving them a smooth surface after steaming. This step is optional, proceed to steam right away.
- Fill the pan under the steamer with cold water and place the steamer over it and start heating at high heat for the first 5 minutes, then reduce to medium heat. Steam the buns for 20 minutes. If the steamer is not made of bamboo make sure the wrap the steamer lid with a tea towel to prevent condensation from dripping onto the buns. The condensation drops cause the bun's outer layer to shrink.
- After 20 minutes turn off the heat but do not open the lid right away. Wait 2-5 minutes and then slowly open the lid to prevent sudden change in temperature which can cause the surface of the buns to shrink.
