I am once again bowled over! Once again I am humbled. Steamed bread just never seemed very appealing. These were ridiculously easy and good. I went super simple with the dinner plan, BBQ poached chicken: brown the chicken (pound of thighs, pound of breast), poach in chicken broth and Stubb’s BBQ sauce, remove chicken pieces, boiled liquid to thicken slightly, shred chicken, return to the sauce. WOW these were great. Gorn kept thanking me for a wonderful dinner.
Disregarding all guidance, Gorn split these and toasted several to enjoy with eggs for breakfast. Good all over again!
Thank you Karen! Below are my changes to Karen’s recipe. Check out Karen’s site Karen’s Kitchen Stories for her details, links to World Bread Day and all the other Babes Buns for all our craziness.
Rising! Oh the promise of bread.
Steamed Bao Buns
Recipe By: Karen’s Kitchen Stories from Food52
Yield: 10
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup (70 grams) sugar, I used 40 grams brown sugar(will use less next time)
4 grams instant or active dry yeast
1/2 cup (120 grams) water, about 100 degrees
1 teaspoon olive oil
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the water, and mix with spoon. Add the oil, and knead until smooth. The dough should not stick to the sides of the bowl. I did this easily by hand.
Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled (30 minutes to 2 hours).
I lined the bottom of steamer with lettuce leaves (the purpose is to keep the buns from sticking to the steamer).
Deflate the dough and divide it into 10 equal pieces (mine were about 45 to 48 grams each). Give each piece a quick knead.
On a floured surface roll the dough out into a 3 inch by 6 inch rectangle with rounded edges. Fold the dough in half lengthwise, and place on a parchment square. Cover lightly with oiled plastic wrap or a damp towel, and repeat with the rest of the dough pieces. Let proof for 30 to 45 minutes, until slightly puffy.
Bring a pot or wok of water to a steady boil (just slightly more than simmering) and fit your pan or wok with a steamer, bamboo basket, or steaming rack just above the water. Place the baos in the steamer, cover, and steam for 12 minutes. Cool slightly, fill with a filling of your choice, and eat.
You can refrigerate or freeze (I prefer freezing) leftovers. You can either thaw and re steam for 3 minutes, or wrap one in a damp paper towel and microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. Or split and toast as Gorn did.
These go in the easy to do file!
MyKitchenInHalfCups 
October 16, 2018 at 2:03 pm
I’m so glad you both liked these!
October 16, 2018 at 2:22 pm
I’m with you Tanna. Steamed bread has never really appealed to me. But. Toasted the next day!! Why didn’t I think of that?! If I had, I would have made the full recipe.
I must say that I’m miffed that your bao buns puffed up so beautifully. I thought that the reason ours didn’t was because I added whole wheat flour. So much for that theory!
(And you’re right; these steamed buns are delicious. Next time I’ll copy you and use lettuce instead of parchment paper underneath them as they steam.)
October 16, 2018 at 2:55 pm
Love the look of them with eggs! I adore poached eggs on toast, but fried eggs on steamed buns? That appeals too! I want to do more steamed breads now, like a brown bread, which was always a treat in a can growing up.
October 16, 2018 at 3:13 pm
I’ve been looking at some brown bread recipes because yes I too grew up with brown bread from a can! Mom often put cream cheese on a slice.
October 26, 2018 at 7:41 pm
That sounds lovely now, as an adult. I do remember slathering the warm canned slices in butter until they were practically saturated with it! Actually, that sounds good as an adult too… LOL
October 16, 2018 at 5:12 pm
Those look soooo good and I love the idea of toasting them and having with eggs, too. Brilliant!
October 17, 2018 at 12:15 pm
I love the whole wheat…. and with eggs. I really like a slightly sweet bread with eggs. Hmmmmm
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