Bao Buns

Ingredients

80 ml warm water 120 ml warm milk 1 tbsp active dry yeast 2 tbsp sugar, divided 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 315 g all-purpose flour (use bleached flour for completely white buns) 0,5 tsp baking powder 0,75 tsp salt

Preparation

1 In a bowl, whisk together warm water, warm milk, yeast, half of the sugar, and oil until the yeast and sugar dissolve. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast activates and becomes foamy. 2 Meanwhile, in a stand mixer bowl, combine flour, the remaining sugar, baking powder, and salt. You can also mix by hand if preferred. 3 Pour the activated yeast mixture into the dry ingredients. Start mixing on low speed to gradually incorporate the ingredients, then increase to medium speed until a dough forms. Knead for 3-4 minutes on medium speed until the dough is soft, elastic, and no longer sticky. 4 Remove the dough from the hook and shape it into a ball. Place it back into the mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until it triples in size, about 2 hours. Allow more time if needed. 5 Transfer the risen dough to a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to a 0.5 cm thickness, adding as little flour as possible to prevent sticking. 6 Using a ring cutter or a glass (8.5–9 cm in diameter), cut out circles of dough. This recipe yields 14–16 bao buns. 7 Lightly brush or spray one side of each dough circle with oil, then fold it in half to create a half-moon shape. Gently press with a rolling pin and place each bun on greaseproof paper in a stainless steel or steam-fry basket. Cover and let them rest for another 30 minutes before steaming.

Steaming in Invoq oven

Full steam – 100 °C – 5 minutes

Note – Insert tray (alarm notification)

Full steam – 100 °C – 10 minutes

Chef's tips

For black bao buns, add cuttlefish ink (squid ink) to the dough. For red bao buns, substitute part of the liquid with beetroot juice. For fillings, we recommend confit duck, chicken, pulled beef, or pulled pork, paired with fresh and crunchy vegetables for a perfect balance of textures.

Sébastien Monjoin

Sales & Culinary Support

Bao Buns

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