Baos are not the simplest thing to make and there are many ways of making them. I've tried a few and settled with this recipe because it is comparatively simpler and produce pretty good results. I am very picky about Bao because if I can't make it better than Chinatown, then I might as well buy them (especially since I live close to Chinese bakeries). I think baked good fresh from the oven usually taste pretty good. My criteria for a good bao are that it is soft and pillowy with a slight chew not ONLY fresh out of the oven, but also the next few days. Even certain bakeries in Chinatown have baos that are hard the next day. So as you can see, my criteria are high.
I measure my ingredients by weight, this way I get the same result very time and it's also easier to bake in bulk. I've learned that artisan bakeries use formulas and proportion to measure their ingredients so it can easily be scaled up or down. But since you may not have a scale at home, I've also included an approximate (pretty close) measurement.
The recipe can be used for Char Sui Bao, Gai Mei Bao, Green Onion, Custard, or any other kind. When I am in a hurry and the kids want baos the next day, I usually just make Hot Dog Bao because I don't have to make the fillings. This recipe is only for the dough.
For the bread to be soft and pillowy, you have to knead it until gluten is formed. How do you know when it's done? Well, usually it's done when the dough is smooth and stretchy. You should be able to stretch the dough about 3.5 feet without it breaking. Also to be fluffy, you have to let the dough rise enough, but not too much. Just a heads up that when you are done, the dough should be a bit sticky, but not so sticky that it sticks to your hands. It should be like slimes that children play with. It's wet and sticky, but when taken away, there shouldn't be slime on your hands.
You don't need a bread maker to make bread. I figure in the olden days people don't have bread maker and current day bakeries don't use bread maker, so I don't need one either. You can knead by hand or use the Kitchen Aid mixer.
Have fun and let me know how it turns out!
Chinese Baked Bao Recipe
Ingredients
300g Bread flour (about 2 cups and 2 TBS)
300g All Purpose Flour (about 2 cups and 2 TBS)
250g Milk (about 1 C)
130g Sugar (about 2/3 C)
10g Dry Active Yeast (about 3 tsp or one package should work)
2 Eggs at room temperature
5g Salt (a pinch)
100g Butter softened and sliced up (about 7 TBS)
1.5 TBS Hot water
1.5 TBS Sugar
1. Warm the milk (make sure it is not hot) and add in some sugar and yeast and let it sit for 10 mins. If it gets foamy, then that means your yeast is alive and you are good. Otherwise, throw it out and use new yeast.
2. Add eggs and bit more sugar to the yeast and whisk to combine.
3. Add in flour, salt, and the remaining sugar and combine until it comes together into a ball.
4. Add butter a few slices at a time and knead the dough until all the butter are incorporated into the dough.
5. Knead it for 5 mins and then let the dough rest for 10 mins. Then test it to see if it's stretchy enough. If not, keep kneading the dough until it is smooth and stretchy.
6. Grease a large bowl, put the dough in it and cover with saran wrap. Then put it in draft free place to rise. I like to use my oven (but it has to be OFF). If your house is cold, I would put a bowl of hot water in the oven. The steam is warm enough for the yeast to grow. It has to grow 2 to 2.5 times. It can take anywhere from 45 mins to 1.5 hour.
7. Take the dough out and punch down to deflate. Then continue to knead for a few mins. Cut into 12 pieces.
8. Roll each piece on a clean counter to make a rope. Then wrap it around a dry hot dog.
9. Cover with saran wrap and return to rise again in the oven that's OFF.
10. When it grew 2 - 2.5 time, you are ready to bake. It is best to remove the bread from the oven after 30 mins and let it finish rising on the counter so you can preheat the oven. I have two ovens so I can preheat and rise at the same time.
11. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
12. Combine hot water and sugar and mix till sugar melted.
13. Brush the sugar mixture on the risen baos and bake for about 16-20 mins or until top is light brown. Be careful not to over bake or else your buns won't be able to stay soft the next day.
14. Remove from oven when done and brush with sugar mixture again immediately then let cool. Enjoy!!!
Ingredients
300g Bread flour (about 2 cups and 2 TBS)
300g All Purpose Flour (about 2 cups and 2 TBS)
250g Milk (about 1 C)
130g Sugar (about 2/3 C)
10g Dry Active Yeast (about 3 tsp or one package should work)
2 Eggs at room temperature
5g Salt (a pinch)
100g Butter softened and sliced up (about 7 TBS)
1.5 TBS Hot water
1.5 TBS Sugar
1. Warm the milk (make sure it is not hot) and add in some sugar and yeast and let it sit for 10 mins. If it gets foamy, then that means your yeast is alive and you are good. Otherwise, throw it out and use new yeast.
2. Add eggs and bit more sugar to the yeast and whisk to combine.
3. Add in flour, salt, and the remaining sugar and combine until it comes together into a ball.
4. Add butter a few slices at a time and knead the dough until all the butter are incorporated into the dough.
5. Knead it for 5 mins and then let the dough rest for 10 mins. Then test it to see if it's stretchy enough. If not, keep kneading the dough until it is smooth and stretchy.
6. Grease a large bowl, put the dough in it and cover with saran wrap. Then put it in draft free place to rise. I like to use my oven (but it has to be OFF). If your house is cold, I would put a bowl of hot water in the oven. The steam is warm enough for the yeast to grow. It has to grow 2 to 2.5 times. It can take anywhere from 45 mins to 1.5 hour.
7. Take the dough out and punch down to deflate. Then continue to knead for a few mins. Cut into 12 pieces.
8. Roll each piece on a clean counter to make a rope. Then wrap it around a dry hot dog.
9. Cover with saran wrap and return to rise again in the oven that's OFF.
10. When it grew 2 - 2.5 time, you are ready to bake. It is best to remove the bread from the oven after 30 mins and let it finish rising on the counter so you can preheat the oven. I have two ovens so I can preheat and rise at the same time.
11. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
12. Combine hot water and sugar and mix till sugar melted.
13. Brush the sugar mixture on the risen baos and bake for about 16-20 mins or until top is light brown. Be careful not to over bake or else your buns won't be able to stay soft the next day.
14. Remove from oven when done and brush with sugar mixture again immediately then let cool. Enjoy!!!
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