Steamed Buns

Ingredients:

• 300 grams whole wheat flour

• 4 grams instant yeast

• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2/3 cup water you may need more

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil for the fold-over steamed buns

Utensils:

• stand mixer with dough hook or mixing bowl and mixing spatula

• kitchen towel

• basting brush

• 12 3-inch square parchment paper sheets

• bamboo steamer

• base pot

• serrated knife for the mantou shape

Instructions:

1. prepare ingredients

Making The Dough With A Stand Mixer:

1. in the bowl of a stand mixer add 300 g of whole wheat flour

2. add 4 gm of instant yeast to the bowl

3. add 1 tbsp of syrup to the bowl

4. add 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil to the bowl and turn the mixer to medium speed

5. gradually add 2/3 cups of water, start with the lowest amount of water and then add as necessary until a dough is formed; don't dump all the water in at once

6. continue mixing on medium for about 2 minutes until the dough is smooth

7. add 1/4 tsp of salt and continue mixing for another 3 minutes until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky

8. cover the dough with a towel and allow it to rest for 15 minutes

Making The Dough By Hand:

1. get a mixing bowl and add 300 g of whole wheat flour

2. add 4 g of instant yeast to the bowl

3. add 1 tbsp of syrup to the bowl

4. add 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil to the bowl

5. add 1/4 tsp of salt to the bowl

6. add 2/3 cup of water to the bowl and mix together with your hands until a rough dough forms; it will not be smooth yet

7. cover with a towel and allow it to rest for 15 minutes

8. turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead for 10-15 minutes until smooth and pliable; if at any point during kneading you find it hard to knead just stop and allow the dough to rest then go back to kneading

9. cover the dough with a towel and allow it to rest for 15 minutes

If Doing Fold-Over Steamed Buns:

1. spray a light layer of olive oil over your work surface

2. turn the dough onto your work surface and divide it into 12 equal portions and roll them into balls

3. cover the 8 dough balls and work with one at a time

4. flatten a dough ball with the palm of your hand

5. use a rolling pin to roll it into an oval shape

6. use a basting brush to brush a very light layer of sesame oil onto one half of the oval then fold the dough over

7. place the bun on a small piece of parchment paper and place in the steamer about 1 inch apart

8. repeat with the remaining buns then cover the bamboo steamer and set it aside on the counter so the buns can proof until they double in size which should take 30-60 minutes so keep an eye on them

If Doing Round Steamed Buns:

1. spray a light layer of olive oil over your work surface

2. turn the dough onto your work surface and divide it into 8 equal portions

3. cover the dough and work with one at a time

4. pull and tuck the dough from top to bottom so the seams are at the bottom and the surface is smooth

5. cup the dough with both palms and move the dough in a circular motion to shape it taller

6. place the bun on a small piece of parchment paper and place in the steamer about 1 inch apart

7. repeat with the remaining buns then cover the bamboo steamer and set it aside on the counter so the buns can proof until they double in size which should take 30-60 minutes so keep an eye on them

If Doing Mantou Shape:

1. spray a light layer of olive oil over your work surface

2. roll the dough out into a 9 x 12 inch rectangle then roll it up like a cinnamon roll

3. use a serrated knife to cut the dough into 8 equal pieces

4. place the bun on a small piece of parchment paper and place in the steamer about 1 inch apart

5. repeat with the remaining buns then cover the bamboo steamer and set it aside on the counter so the buns can proof until they double in size which should take 30-60 minutes so keep an eye on them

Steaming:

1. get a base pot and fill it with 2 inches of water and place on the stove over high heat to bring to a boil

2. wrap the lid of your steamer with a kitchen towel to prevent moisture from dripping back on the steamed buns

3. once boiling lower the heat to medium

4. place the steamer directly on top of the pot and close the lid and leave about 1/4-inch gap to let some of the steam escape and steam for 8 minutes

5. after steaming, turn off the heat and DO NOT OPEN THE LID, let the buns sit there for 1 minute

6. remove the buns to a wire rack so the bottom doesn't get soggy and allow them to cool down

Store extras in an airtight container, not touching each other, in the fridge or freezer.