Taiwanese Bao Buns

5 from 1 vote

Learn how to make soft and fluffy Taiwanese bao buns from scratch with this easy recipe. These steamed bao buns are perfect for filling with braised pork, char siu, crispy pork belly, or your favorite savory ingredients.

Prep Time1 20

Cook Time10

Total Time1 30

Course: Bread and Buns, Breakfast, Snack, Traditional Snack

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese, Taiwanese

Diet: Halal

Servings: pieces

Calories: 135kcal

Author: Claudia

Equipment

1 steamer

Ingredients

250 gr flour pao
30 gr sugar
2 gr baking powder
3 gr instant yeast
130 gr water
20 gr oil
2 gr salt

Instructions

Sift the pao flour into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar, instant yeast, water, and baking powder. Attach the paddle attachment and start mixing. Once the dry ingredients are combined, add the oil and salt. Continue mixing until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, about 16 minutes. Transfer the dough to a bowl, then cover it with a cloth or cling wrap. Let it ferment for 40 minutes.
After 40 minutes, the dough should have doubled in size. Punch down the dough to release the air, then divide it into 9 pieces. Cover with a cloth and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Take one piece of dough and flatten it into an oval with a rolling pin. The oval should be about 16 x 8 cm. Flip the rolled dough so the smooth side is at the bottom. Brush half of the inside with oil.
Carefully fold the dough toward the other end to form a half-moon shape. Place each folded bun on a piece of baking paper. Let them proof for 15–20 minutes, then steam in a preheated steamer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep the lid closed for another 2 minutes before opening the steamer. This helps prevent sudden temperature changes and keeps the surface of the bao buns smooth. Remove the steamed bao buns from the steamer and let them cool completely before storing them in a plastic bag or airtight container.

Notes

Use pao flour for the softest texture. Pao flour gives these bao buns a soft, fluffy texture and whiter color. If you can't find it, cake flour is the closest substitute.
Mix the dough until smooth and not sticky. The dough should pull away from the bowl and feel smooth. This helps create bao buns with a soft but slightly chewy bite.
Let the dough rest before rolling. After dividing the dough, rest it for 10 minutes. This relaxes the gluten so the dough is easier to roll into an oval shape.
Brush the inside with oil before folding. This prevents the two sides from sticking together after steaming, so the bao buns can open easily for filling.
Do not overproof the shaped buns. After shaping, 15–20 minutes is usually enough. Overproofed buns may collapse or wrinkle after steaming.
Steam in a preheated steamer. Make sure the water is boiling and the steamer is hot before adding the buns. This helps them puff up properly.
Let the buns rest before opening the steamer. After steaming, turn off the heat and leave the lid closed for 2 minutes before opening it. This allows the temperature to decrease gradually, helping the bao buns keep a smooth surface and reducing the chance of wrinkles or shrinking.
Cool completely before storing. Let the buns cool fully before putting them in a bag or container, otherwise trapped steam can make them wet and sticky.

Nutrition