Steaming Soft Buns: A Guide To Steamer Cooking

Steamed buns are a delicious Chinese dish that can be made with or without meat filling. They are soft, tender, and slightly chewy, with a barely sweetened taste that pairs well with various fillings. To cook them, you'll need a steamer basket, either metal or bamboo, that fits inside a deep pot, or a wok equipped with a stainless-steel steam plate. The process involves making the dough, shaping it into balls, filling them (if desired), letting them rise, and then steaming them for around 10-15 minutes. It's important to manage the heat and condensation during cooking to ensure the buns don't become soggy or wrinkled.

How to make the dough

The dough is the foundation of your steamed buns, so it's important to get it just right. Here's a step-by-step guide to making the perfect dough for steamed buns:

Ingredients

Firstly, gather your ingredients. You will need:

• Flour (all-purpose or a combination of all-purpose and cake flour)
• Wheat starch or potato starch
• Sugar
• Active dry yeast, instant yeast, or fresh yeast
• Milk (or water)
• Oil (vegetable, canola, or cooking oil)
• Baking powder
• Salt

Mixing the Dough

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, starch, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Mix well to ensure everything is evenly distributed.
• Add in the liquid (milk or water) and oil. You may need to adjust the amount of liquid depending on the type of flour used. Start with less and add more as needed to form a cohesive dough.
• If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment and mix at a low speed until the dough comes together and becomes smooth. This should take around 12-15 minutes.
• If mixing by hand, use a fork or chopsticks to combine the dry and wet ingredients until a shaggy dough forms. Then, use your hands to work the dough until it becomes cohesive and no dry spots remain. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.

Kneading the Dough

• After the dough has rested, it's time to knead it. On a floured surface, knead the dough until it becomes smooth, soft, and elastic. This should take about 5-10 minutes if doing it by hand. If using a stand mixer, this process will be shorter.
• Once the dough is smooth and elastic, shape it into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Turn the dough over to coat it with oil, then cover the bowl.

Proofing the Dough

• Let the dough rise undisturbed in a warm place for about 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size. This process allows the yeast to activate and the dough to become airy and light.
• After the first rise, gently deflate the dough and stretch and fold it a few times. This helps develop the gluten and create a more elastic dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for another 30 minutes. Repeat this stretching and folding process two more times, resting for 30 minutes after each fold.

Shaping the Dough

• Once the dough has been kneaded and proofed, it's time to shape it. Divide the dough into equal portions, depending on how big you want your buns to be. For smaller buns, aim for 10-12 portions, and for larger buns, go for 6-8 portions.
• Flatten each portion with your palm, then use a rolling pin to roll it out into a circle. The circle should be about 4-5 inches in diameter, with the center slightly thicker than the edges. This thicker center will support the weight of the filling.
• If you plan to fill your buns, place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of each dough circle. Then, pinch the tops closed to seal in the filling.
• For plain steamed buns without filling, roll each portion into a smooth round ball between the palms of your hands. Cup the dough with your palms and move it in a circular motion to shape it into a taller bun.

Second Proofing

• After shaping the dough, cover the buns with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rise for the second time. This proofing step is crucial, as it allows the buns to develop a fluffy texture.
• The buns should increase in size by about 50% during this second proofing. They may not double in size, but they should feel light and airy when lifted. This process can take 1 hour or longer, depending on the temperature of your environment.
• To prevent overproofing, keep an eye on the dough rather than relying solely on timing. The dough is ready when it springs back slowly after being gently poked.

With your dough now ready, you can move on to the next steps of assembling and steaming your buns.

How to shape the buns

Shaping the buns is an important step in the process of making steamed buns. Here is a detailed guide on how to shape the buns:

Firstly, divide the dough into equal portions. The number of portions will depend on the size of the buns you want to make. For example, you can divide the dough into 10-12 equal portions for medium-sized buns.

Next, flatten each portion of dough and gather the edges to form them into dough balls. Cover and let the dough rest for about 15 minutes. This step is crucial to relax the gluten and make shaping and rolling easier.

After the dough has rested, you can start shaping the buns. Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Take one portion of dough at a time and flatten it with your palm. Then, use a rolling pin to roll it out into a circle, with the centre slightly thicker than the edges. This thicker centre will help support the weight of the filling. Aim for a circle about 4-5 inches in diameter, but be careful not to roll the dough too thin, as this can cause the buns to wrinkle when steamed.

Now it's time to add the filling. Place a heaping tablespoon of your chosen filling in the centre of each dough circle. To seal the buns, gather the sides of the dough and pinch the tops closed. You can also pleat the edges together for a classic steamed bun look. If you choose to pleat, use one hand to hold the pleats in place while your other hand pushes the filling into the dough to ensure it is fully enclosed.

Once the buns are sealed, cup them with your palms and move them in a circular motion to shape them into taller buns. This step is important to ensure that your steamed buns rise tall instead of spreading to the sides during steaming.

Finally, cover the shaped buns with a clean kitchen towel and let them proof until they have increased in size by about 50%. This proofing time will vary depending on the temperature of your environment.

How to cook the buns

Ingredients

Firstly, you will need the following ingredients:

• Flour
• Water
• Yeast
• Sugar
• Oil
• Baking powder
• Milk (optional)

Making the dough

• Mix together a portion of flour, water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Allow this to sit for 30 minutes.
• Mix in the remaining flour, water, sugar, oil, and salt. You can add milk instead of water if you prefer. Knead the mixture until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and roll it to coat with oil. Let the dough sit until it has tripled in size, which should take around 2 to 3 hours.
• Punch down the dough and spread it out on a floured board. Sprinkle baking powder evenly over the surface of the dough and knead for another 5 minutes.

Shaping the buns

• Divide the dough in half and set one half aside in a covered bowl. Divide the remaining half into 12 equal pieces.
• Shape each piece into a ball and transfer them to small squares of waxed or greaseproof paper with the smooth surface facing up. Repeat this process with the other half of the dough.
• Cover all the dough balls and let them sit until they have doubled in size, which should take about 30 minutes.

Steaming the buns

• Bring some water to a boil in a wok or a pot. Reduce the heat to medium and maintain a low boil.
• Place a steam plate or a small bowl on a wire rack in the middle of the wok or pot, leaving at least 2 inches of space between the plate and the wok/pot.
• Working in batches, place the buns on their waxed/greaseproof paper squares onto the steam plate/bowl, leaving 1 to 2 inches between each bun.
• Cover and steam the buns for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the lid so that condensation doesn't drip onto the buns, as this can cause yellowish blisters on the surface.
• Continue steaming the remaining buns until all are cooked.

Tips

• If you don't have a bamboo steamer, you can use a metal steamer, a tabletop steamer, or even a simple bowl and plate placed over a wok or large pot.
• To prevent the buns from sticking, place them on squares of parchment or greaseproof paper before putting them into the steamer.
• Leave enough space between the buns, as they will expand during proofing and cooking.
• Adjust the texture of the buns by controlling the proofing time. For a shiny, chewy skin, let the buns proof uncovered. For a fluffier bun, proof for about 1 hour, and for a chewier, denser bun, shorten the proof time to 30 minutes.

How to prevent condensation

To prevent condensation when cooking buns in a steamer, you can try the following methods:

Use a bamboo steamer: Bamboo steamers are ideal because they absorb condensation, preventing food from becoming soggy due to dripping water. This is especially important for buns as they can turn unpleasantly wet if too much water falls on them during the steaming process.

Use a metal steamer with a cloth cover: If using a metal steamer, cover the lid with a kitchen towel or a large piece of cheesecloth/clean, dry kitchen towel to prevent condensation from dripping onto the buns.

Line the steamer baskets: Lining the steamer baskets is crucial when steaming buns to prevent them from sticking. You can use perforated baking paper, such as parchment paper, napa cabbage leaves, or even reusable silicone liners.

Gradual heating and cooling: Start the steaming process with cold water and gradually heat it up. After turning off the heat, keep the lid on for a few minutes before uncovering. Uncovering right away will shock the buns with cold air, which will make them shrink and wrinkle.

Avoid overcrowding: Leave at least 1" of space between the buns as they will expand during the steaming process and stick to one another if placed too close together.

Do not open the steamer during cooking: Any rush of cool air could potentially make the buns collapse.

Let the buns rest after cooking: After turning off the heat, let the buns sit covered in the steamer for an extra 5 minutes. This resting time is crucial as opening the lid too quickly may cause the buns to deflate due to the cool air from outside.

How to store the buns

Once your buns are cooked, it's important to let them cool down completely before storing them. If you don't, they may become too wet.

If you're storing your buns for a few days, wrap them in plastic and place them in the fridge. They should keep for up to three days.

If you want to keep your buns for longer, you can freeze them. First, place the buns on a baking sheet, making sure they're not touching, and put them in the freezer for about an hour. Then, transfer the buns to a freezer bag. They will keep for up to a month.

When you're ready to eat your frozen buns, you can reheat them by steaming them or putting them on a plate and microwaving them alongside a bowl of hot water to simulate a steam environment.

Frequently asked questions