BBQ Pork Buns
"Fluffy white clouds stuffed with sweet-savory treasure."
The char siu bao exists in two forms: steamed (fluffy white, slightly sweet dough) and baked (golden, glazed, Hong Kong bakery style). Both contain the same sweet-savory char siu filling.
Steamed bao are dim sum essentials — you'll find them on every cart. The dough should be soft as clouds, splitting slightly at the top to reveal the glistening filling inside.
"The crack on top isn't a flaw — it's the bao smiling at you."
Combine oyster sauce, hoisin, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and stock in a pan. Heat until sugar dissolves.
Add cornstarch slurry. Stir until thickened.
Add diced char siu. Mix well. Cool completely (refrigerate if needed). Filling must be COLD.
Hot filling + dough = disaster. The filling will melt through the bottom. Chill it.
Mix flour, yeast, sugar. Add warm milk and oil. Knead 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Cover, let rise 1.5-2 hours until doubled.
Punch down. Add baking powder. Knead 5 more minutes to incorporate.
Divide dough into 12 pieces. Roll each into a circle (thicker in center, thinner edges).
Place 2 tablespoons filling in center. Gather edges, pleat, and twist to seal. Place seam-side down on parchment square.
Let rise another 30 minutes until puffy.
Steam over high heat for 12-15 minutes. Don't open the lid during steaming!
Turn off heat, wait 2 minutes before opening to prevent collapse.
Top with a cookie crust before baking at 350°F for 15-18 minutes. Golden, crispy, HK bakery style.
Add a cube of frozen salted egg yolk custard to the filling center. Modern dim sum craze.
Make them half-size for parties. Steam 8-10 minutes instead.