Description
Delight in these soft, fluffy Chocolate Steamed Buns filled with a rich and creamy chocolate ganache. Perfectly steamed to a pillowy texture, these buns combine the delicate sweetness of bao dough with luscious semi-sweet chocolate, making for a delightful treat ideal for dessert or afternoon tea.
Ingredients
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 1 1/3 cup (8 oz / 225 g) semi sweet melting chocolate chips
Bao Dough
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) whole milk (110°F or 43°C)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon (6 g) active dry yeast or instant yeast
- 2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (100 g) wheat starch
- 1/2 cup (70 g) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon (10 g) baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) vegetable shortening
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) vegetable oil
Instructions
- Make Chocolate Ganache: Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it is hot and lightly simmering around the edges, taking care not to boil it. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl ensuring the chips are fully covered. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then stir gently with a rubber spatula until creamy and silky. Chill uncovered in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, then cover with cling wrap pressed directly on the surface to avoid skin formation and chill for an additional hour.
- Prepare Yeast Mixture: Warm the milk to 110°F (43°C) and add the active dry yeast. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes until frothy. If using instant yeast, let sit for 2-3 minutes to confirm it is active with a frothy foam layer.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, sift together the flour, wheat starch, powdered sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix briefly on low speed.
- Add Shortening: While mixing on low, add the vegetable shortening in small pieces ensuring it breaks up evenly into the flour mixture.
- Combine Egg White and Oil: In a separate bowl, mix the room temperature egg white with vegetable oil, liquifying the mixture by lightly pulling the egg white with a fork until combined.
- Mix Dough: Add the yeast-milk mixture into the stand mixer bowl, followed by the egg and oil mixture. Mix on low for 30 seconds, then increase to medium speed and knead for 5 minutes until the dough forms a tacky smooth ball that is no longer sticking to the bowl. Adjust moisture by adding 1 tablespoon water if too dry or 1 tablespoon flour if too sticky.
- Form Dough Ball and Proof: Knead the dough manually for about 1 minute to form a smooth ball, transfer to a lightly greased large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and proof in a warm environment (about 100°F or 38°C) for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Divide and Shape Dough: Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal portions. Roll each into smooth balls and cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Roll each ball into a roughly 4-inch diameter circle with a thicker center.
- Fill and Seal Buns: Place 1 tablespoon of chilled chocolate ganache in the center of each dough circle, wrap the dough around the filling tightly, pinching to seal the bun thoroughly and removing excess dough if needed.
- Rest Buns Before Steaming: Arrange each bun on parchment squares or cupcake liners spaced apart. Cover with a dish towel and allow to rest for 15 minutes to relax the dough before steaming.
- Steam Buns: Prepare a steamer by bringing water to a boil. Wrap the steamer lid with a dishcloth to prevent condensation dripping. Place buns in the steamer 2 inches apart and steam over medium heat for 10-12 minutes. After steaming, let buns sit in the steamer for 1 minute before removing to avoid wrinkling from temperature shock. Steam in batches if necessary, keeping unsteamed buns covered and refrigerated to slow yeast activity.
- Serve: Serve the chocolate steamed buns immediately while warm and enjoy their soft, fluffy texture with the creamy chocolate filling.
Notes
- Make sure the heavy cream does not boil to avoid breaking the ganache.
- Use a stand mixer with a dough hook for best dough consistency and kneading results.
- Maintaining the correct milk temperature ensures yeast activation without killing it.
- Wrap the steamer lid with a cloth to prevent water droplets from falling onto the buns, which can affect texture.
- If buns are not steamed immediately, keep them refrigerated to prevent over-proofing or yeast activity.
- Adjust dough texture by adding small amounts of water or flour as needed during kneading.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: Chinese
