The BEST Bao Buns Recipe & Video - Seonkyoung Longest (2024)

FAQs

How far in advance can you make bao buns? ›

Then turn off the heat (don't lift the lid) and allow the buns to rest over the hot water for 5 minutes. Buns can be made up to a day in advance and steamed to re-heat before serving.

Microwaving from Frozen

Use water to wet all surfaces of the frozen bao bun (this will ensure that the dough doesn't crack when heated). Place bun on a plate in the microwave. Heat on high for approximately one minute.

Bao Buns (pronounced “bow”), but also known as a 'steamed buns' or 'baozi' 包子, are a delicious, warm, fluffy treat of stuffing wrapped inside a sweet, white dough. Made with a mix of flour, yeast, sugar, baking powder, milk and oil, the bao is a tad sweeter than its closely related cousin, the dumpling.

If you're looking for the fluffiest buns, use cake flour which is low in gluten. Bread flour, which is high in gluten, is acceptable but it results in a chewier texture. You can replace ⅕ of the bread flour with cornstarch to lower its gluten level.

How do you keep steamed buns warm? Keep them in the bamboo steamer with lid closed. They should stay warm like this for ~10 minutes. When having them for dinner, I usually actually cook all the bao ahead of time and then re-heat a couple at a time by steaming for 1-2 minutes before eating.

Knead as before, then put in a bowl, cover with clingfilm and chill overnight. The dough will rise slowly. Bring up to room temperature for 20 minutes before shaping and proving.

You can replicate a steamer with very little effort by placing your buns in a common kitchen sieve or colander, then suspending it over boiling water. Creating a tower from plates and tea towels will stop the steam from escaping, causing your buns to steam cook!

Air Fryer. As always, we do suggest pan frying or steaming your buns but sometimes it just makes sense to use the air fryer. It'll give your baos a calzone consistency which makes drops like the Mamma Mia extra tasty.

A gua bao, also known as a pork belly bun, bao, or bao bun, is a type of lotus leaf bun originating from Fujianese cuisine in China. It is also a popular snack in Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, and Nagasaki Chinatown in Japan.

When it comes to the dip, hoisin sauce, sweet chilli or a simple soy sauce with sesame oil make great pairings. We love to eat bao alongside some bouncy or zingy veggies. For zingy veg, we suggest some quick pickled cucumber.

Is bao bread healthy? ›

Additionally, bao serves as a source of protein and dietary fiber, particularly when made with whole grain flours or filled with vegetables or lean meats. The incorporation of bao in diets is observed to bring several health benefits. The fiber content in bao aids digestion and contributes to maintaining a healthy gut.

In order to get white bao, many Chinese American cooks use low-gluten (low-protein), bleached cake flour for their bao dough; cake flour is milled from soft wheat and has 8 to 10% gluten/protein. To make up for the flour's lack of gluten a touch of vinegar is added to result in more chewy dough.

The secret to soft, light rolls, if you're looking for something like a dinner roll, is an enriched dough that contains butter or other dairy, eggs, or both. If you want something more bread-like, you want a high hydration dough that's been properly kneaded and given at least two bulk fermentations before shaping.

Try basting your buns for moisture and flavor.

"Using melted butter with just a 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, chili powder, or cumin can totally transform a boring bun."

The bao can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days or they can be frozen for up to a month. If you are reheating cooked bao, add them to the prepared steamer, cover and steam over a high heat for about 10 minutes until they bounce back nicely when pressed with a finger.

Avoid Moisture

Ironically, buns can also dry out when not kept away from moisture. To avoid this, consider wrapping them in plastic wrap or placing them in a resealable plastic bag with a small piece of wax paper. The wax paper will help to absorb any excess moisture and keep the buns fresh.

Gently toast in a 350°F oven until buns are warmed through and lightly crispy, about 5 minutes. To keep the buns from getting too crunchy or hard after toasting, place them in a nice basket with a towel over them or wrap them in tinfoil; you can toast 30 minutes to an hour ahead of time.

This isn't a problem for all ingredients, but it certainly is for bao buns. If condensation gets released onto them while they cook, they'll end up water-logged and soggy. This holds true for cooking store-bought bao as well as from-scratch versions.