So, I got this idea stuck in my head the other day. Been thinking about those soft, slightly sweet buns you get at dim sum places. You know the ones. Not the super fancy filled ones necessarily, just that basic, comforting bread. Thought to myself, how hard can it be, right? Famous last words, maybe.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/7011-chinese-steamed-buns-ddmfs-0486-4x3-hero-087150b5660c46d1936ac4314a787db9.jpg)
First thing, I dug out my big mixing bowl. Got the flour, yeast, a bit of sugar, warm water – the usual suspects. I always eyeball the water a little, gotta feel it out. Dumped it all in. Started mixing with a spoon, then got my hands in there. Felt kinda sticky at first, which is normal I guess. Kneaded it on the counter for what felt like forever. Put some music on. Pretty sure I was working the dough for a good 10, maybe 15 minutes. My shoulders were definitely feeling it afterwards. Got it to that smooth, kinda elastic stage. Poked it. Yep, felt about right.
Time for the first rise.
I lightly greased the bowl, plonked the dough ball in, turned it over so the top was oiled too. Covered it up with a damp towel. Found a warm-ish spot near the window where the sun hits in the afternoon. Then, the waiting game began. Went off, did some chores, tried not to peek too often. Took about an hour, maybe a bit more? Came back and yeah, it had puffed up nicely. Double in size, just like they say.
Shaping these things.
Punched the air out of the dough. Felt satisfying, not gonna lie. Dumped it back onto the counter, gave it a quick knead just to tame it. Then I started dividing it up. Tried to make them roughly the same size. Rolled each piece into a little ball. Simple enough. Lined them up on a baking sheet that I’d put some parchment paper on. Left some space between them, figured they’d puff up again.
- Divided dough
- Rolled into balls
- Placed on baking sheet
Second rise, more waiting.
Covered the sheet loosely with plastic wrap this time. Let them sit there on the counter. Think it was about another 45 minutes? They definitely got bigger, nice and pillowy looking. Good sign.
Getting them cooked
Now, the moment of truth. I decided to bake mine. Preheated the oven. While it was heating up, I whisked up an egg yolk with a splash of milk. Brushed this egg wash gently over the tops of the buns. Made them look shiny and promising. Slid the baking sheet into the hot oven. Set the timer. The whole kitchen started smelling amazing, that warm, yeasty, sweet smell. That’s the best part, honestly.
Kept an eye on them through the oven door. Didn’t want them to burn. Pulled them out when they were golden brown. Tapped the bottom of one, sounded hollow. Perfect.
Let them cool on a wire rack for a bit. Was hard not to grab one straight away, still piping hot. Finally, grabbed one. Tore it open. Steamy inside. Soft, fluffy texture. Had a slight sweetness. You know what? They weren’t exactly like the restaurant ones, but they were pretty darn good. Soft, comforting, homemade. Worth the effort? Yeah, I think so. Made a bit of a mess, arms were tired, but sitting there with a warm bun I made myself? Pretty satisfying end to the experiment.
