Cheese Steamed Bun - Cheese Mantou

Chinese steamed bun with Cheese filling piled on a bamboo steamer.

5 from 1 vote

Cheese Steamed Bun - Cheese Mantou

These cheese-filled Chinese steamed buns are soft, slightly sweet, and irresistibly savory. Perfect for breakfast or a cozy snack, with melty cheese in every bite.

Prep Time1 40

Cook Time12

Total Time1 52

Course: Bread and Buns, Breakfast, Dessert, Desserts, Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Servings: pieces

Calories: 330kcal

Author: Claudia

Ingredients

Yudane

100 gr all purpose flour
100 gr water hot

Dough

65 gr sugar
5 gr instant yeast
85 gr water
120 gr all purpose flour
120 gr flour bao
30 gr flour teng mien
3 gr baking powder
35 gr oil
5 gr salt
12 slices cheese

Instructions

Start by making the yudane. Mix flour with hot water and stir until it forms a dough. Cover with cling wrap and let it rest for 2–3 hours. In a mixing bowl, sift all the flours.
Add sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Pour in water and add the rested yudane. Mix until the dough is no longer sticky, then add oil and continue mixing until the dough becomes smooth.
Mix until fully smooth and elastic. Total mixing time should be around 18–20 minutes. Transfer the dough to a greased glass bowl, cover with cling wrap, and let it ferment for 1 hour.
After an hour, the dough should double in size. Punch the air out. Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough into a 45x22 cm rectangle.
Lay the cheddar cheese slices down the center. Roll it up lengthwise and seal tightly. Cut into 4 cm pieces using a knife or string—personally, I find string works better. If using a knife, go for a bread knife for cleaner cuts.
Place each piece on a square of pao paper, with the cheese side facing up. Let them rise again until doubled in size. Meanwhile, heat your steamer. Steam the buns for 10 minutes over medium heat, then turn off the heat and let them sit for 2 minutes with the lid on. Remove and let cool completely. Enjoy your steamed bun!

Video

Notes

Use hot water for yudane – Make sure the water is really hot (just boiled) when mixing the yudane. This helps gelatinize the flour, giving the buns that extra soft, chewy texture.
Let the yudane rest – Don’t rush the resting time. Giving it 2–3 hours allows the gluten to relax and the texture to develop.
Choose melty cheese – Cheddar slices work great because they melt beautifully and have a rich, savory taste. But feel free to try mozzarella for that stretchy pull or mix cheeses for fun flavor combos.
String for clean cuts – Use a clean thread or string to cut the rolls if you want neat, bakery-style swirls. It’s gentler than a knife and won’t squish the dough.
Steam with love (and patience) – Always preheat your steamer, and once you start steaming, don’t lift the lid! Let it rest 2 minutes after turning off the heat to avoid wrinkly buns.

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