Lotus paste Bao

[peony]

This is the first time I made bao. I am happy with this recipe as the skin is soft and chewy.

However, my bao pleating needs a lot of improvement and pratice. Anyone can tell me how to make the pleats in bao properly ?

very ugly pleatings of bao

[JasonZ]

This is the first time I made bao. I am happy with this recipe as the skin is soft and chewy.

However, my bao pleating needs a lot of improvement and pratice. Anyone can tell me how to make the pleats in bao properly ?

Hi Peony:

Ah Leung had a recent thread on potstickers, in which one post showed the most elegant pleating method I've seen ... the posting is HERE

Hope that helps.

Thanks to yimay, who posted the original and who demonstrated the pleating method.

Regards,

JasonZ

Edited October 31, 2006 by JasonZ (log)

[Tepee]

Check the consistency of your dough. Knead till it's even and smooth. A dough which is on the wet side will result in undiscernible pleats.

I can see your baos are nice and soft. Yum! Here's some I did a couple of years ago, my pleats weren't very clear either because I remember making a mental note that the dough was too wet. I've been meaning to make some linyoong ones from my leftover mooncake filling too. Tks for the reminder.

[hzrt8w]

This is the first time I made bao. I am happy with this recipe as the skin is soft and chewy.

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That looks lovely, peony! Would you point us to which recipe you were using?

[peony]

the recipe is a hybrid of different recipes from various source... I change and adjust some of the ingredients.

it's not from this forum....

this is the bao skin recipe

300 gm Hong Kong / bao flour

1 tsp double-acting baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp shortening

1 tbsp yeast

100-150 ml water - depend on flour

mix all ingredients. Knead till smooth n elastic. Proof till double in size. (I use a breadmachine here)

punch down, divide dough into equal pcs (abt. 30g wt each).Rest dough 10 min.

Wrap with filling and shape. Place each bao on a pc of greaseproof paper.

Proof for 30 min.

Steam on high heat 8 - 10 min.

Edited October 31, 2006 by peony (log)

[sheetz]

Those still look quite pretty, Peony! I agree with Tepee that the dough should not be too wet. Most of the lotus paste buns I've seen are hemispherical with no pleats, but I understand that they use a different formula for that type of dough to keep the tops from splitting open. I don't like those because they are usually not as soft and fluffy as the dough used for the steamed char siu bao.

Edited October 31, 2006 by sheetz (log)

[hzrt8w]

In Hong Kong dim sum restaurants, it's customary that they do a "smooth" top for Lotus Seed Paste Baos. They also paint a small yellow dot on the top to signify the filling.

[peony]

In Hong Kong dim sum restaurants, it's customary that they do a "smooth" top for Lotus Seed Paste Baos.  They also paint a small yellow dot on the top to signify the filling.

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It is the same over here, normally lotus paste or red bean paste baos have smooth top but I want to learn how to pleat bao and making pleats with lotus paste filling are not so messy as using char siew filling

Edited November 1, 2006 by peony (log)

[Dejah]

this is the bao skin recipe

300 gm Hong Kong / bao flour

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Peony,

That bao skin looks perfect! I want to try your recipe, but what is Hong Kong/ bao flour?

My pleats always disappear after steaming. I will have to try and reduce the liquid in the mix and see if it would make a difference with my recipe.

[peony]

Hong Kong flour is an all-purpose, soft wheat flour that is highly bleached. Bao that is made with Hong Kong flour will turn out whiter than those made with normal flour. Hong Kong flour is most suitable for making steamed bao.

[hzrt8w]

How about your filling? How did you make your lotus paste filling?

[Kent Wang]

I don't think I've ever seen lotus paste used in bao. Red bean, yes.

[hzrt8w]

Lotus seed baos are pretty popular in Hong Kong dim sum restaurants.

[peony]

it's a lengthy process to make lotus paste from scratch.....

so nowadays, I bought ready-make , the lotus paste is actually the left over from my mooncake making.

[peony]

lotus paste filling is not only popular in bao but also as a filling in bread buns.

the reason, I guess is not popular in western countries maybe lotus seeds are not cheap like red beans.

Also makining lotus paste is not as easy as making red bean paste.