Sourdough Steam Bun (bao Zi) dough

Tang Zhong

- 85g whole meal flour
- 40g semolina
- 15g oil (I used grapeseed)
- 4 salt
- 1tbs tapioca starch

Ingredients

- 95g sourdough starter
- 90g wholemeal flour
- 35g water
- 20g honey

Method:

In a little saucepan, make the tang zhong by combining all ingredients and stirring continuously until it thickens like custard.

Put this in a bowl to cool down and cover with something like cling wrap or a silicon matt to prevent it from forming a skin.

Once the tang zhong has cooled, add all ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine.

Let it rest for 10 minutes, then do your first set of stretches and folds.

After 30 minutes, do another set of stretches and folds and repeat this one more time.

Allow the dough to bulk rise on the counter for at least 2 hours then you can place it in the fridge for up to 2 days until you’re ready to use it, or make the dough in the morning and make the buns in the evening or make the dough at night and allow it to proof overnight at room temperature or in the fridge if you have the space.

Once you’re ready to make your buns, portion the dough into even balls.

Use a little bit of flour to prevent the dough from sticking to your bench then press your ball with your palm to flatten the dough.

Using a small rolling pin or a jar/bottle, begin to roll the dough from the centre out and rotate the dough after every roll to keep it round.

The idea is to have the centre of the circle thicker than the edges so the filling will not damage the integrity of the bun and the edges thin so you can easily shape the bun.

In terms of how to shape it, I am still practising myself, but this link will show you how to do it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMVOQ2CW2n4

This guy will also have a non-sourdough recipe for the dough if you prefer.

Steam for 8 minutes and enjoy!