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Bao Buns (Folded Steamed Buns)

Bao Buns (Folded Steamed Buns)

Bao Buns (Folded Steamed Buns)

Story

📖 Story
Met bao in the heat of pro kitchens—pretty, fast, serviceable… but a little timid. I could taste the potential more than the bun. So I kept tinkering after service: cooler rests, gentler steam, a whisper of oil so they opened clean, tricks to keep them snow-white. The first batch that sighed open—soft, calm, ready for chaos—felt like the bun I’d wanted all along: humble on the outside, confident enough to carry anything. ☁️✨

Description

Soft folded clouds built for overstuffed nights. The dough rests cold so it wakes up with quiet flavor and a cottony crumb; a whisper of oil turns each bun into a tidy little hinge. Steam fogs the room like a pop-up night market, and a dash of vinegar under the lid keeps them snow-white. Fill them with chaos; they stay calm. ☁️

Steps

  1. Poolish — 16–24 h cold

  2. 1
    Whisk water, yeast, honey; stir in flour to a thick batter. Cover and refrigerate 16–24 h (it will double and bubble).

  3. Make the dough

  4. 2
    In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, milk powder, sugar, salt, and yeast.
  5. 3
    Add the poolish (in pieces), water, and sunflower oil. Knead 8–10 min until very smooth and elastic.
  6. 4
    Cover and rise at room temp until ~1.5×, 60–90 min.

  7. Divide & pre-shape

  8. 5
    Turn out, degas gently. Divide into 12–16 pieces (≈40–45 g). Roll into tight balls. Rest 10 min, covered.

  9. Shape folded bao

  10. 6
    Roll each ball into an oval (≈7–8 × 12 cm). Brush the top lightly with oil.
  11. 7
    Lay a lightly oiled chopstick across the center, fold in half over the stick, then slide it out.
  12. 8
    Transfer each bun onto a small rectangle of parchment (poke a tiny vent hole in the paper).

  13. Proof

  14. 9
    Arrange in bamboo steamer(s), cover, and proof 30 min until puffy (not doubled).

  15. Steam snowy-white

  16. 10
    Bring water to a boil; add a splash of white vinegar. Line the steamer lid with a clean towel to catch condensation.
  17. 11
    Steam buns 5–7 min (depending on size). Turn off heat and rest 1 min before opening to avoid collapse.
  18. 12
    Cool briefly on a rack.

  19. Serve / store

  20. 13
    Serve warm and fill immediately, or cool completely and freeze in zipper bags (re-steam 3–4 min from frozen).

Credits

Developed by me.