Tips to make the perfect steamed bun 😊: 1. Use “steamed bun flour”. It’s available in your local Chinese grocery store or online. It has less protein than AP flour for less density and slightly more protein than cake flour for structure. You may sometimes see it labeled as “Hong Kong Flour”, It’s more bleached so that you get a snowier whiter color and the bleaching also makes the flour softer & more tender for fluffiness. 2. To make sure your buns come out smooth and not bumpy or wrinkly on the outside is rolling the dough out a few times thoroughly before filling. This helps get out all the air pockets leaving you with a smoother bun. 3. Leave the buns in the steam basket (heat off) for 10 mins before opening to prevent them from collapsing. The shock in temperature change will cause them to deflate. 4. Always test your active dry yeast. Sometimes yeast may be too old and won’t provide the leavening that you need in your buns. You test it by blooming it with warm warm between 100F-110F. Any less won’t bloom, any higher will kill the yeast. If you see bubbles after 10 mins, you’re Gucci 👍 5. Let your dough rest/prove appropriately. Don’t get impatient and cut the time short, trust the process! Proper proving will allow the gluten to relax and create a fluffier softer bun.
