These cute steamed snowman buns are made with a simple and fluffy Chinese language mantou dough and an optionally available custard filling. They’re vegan-friendly, dairy-free and the proper snack for the vacations!
Substances you may want
The total listing of ingredient portions and directions are within the grey recipe card on the backside of this publish.
Notes in regards to the elements
All-purpose plain flour. Or for extra conventional, softer and whiter buns, you should utilize bao flour purchased from a Chinese language grocery retailer.
Immediate yeast is the simplest yeast to make use of. I additionally added baking powder so the steamed buns are additional fluffy!
Sugar helps feed the yeast (which makes the buns rise), and to sweeten the custard filling. Historically, mantou buns are a little bit candy.
Custard powder should you’re making the filling. A number of mainstream manufacturers are by accident vegan as they do not include milk or egg powder (for instance, Fowl’s and Foster Clarks). Alternatively, you’ll be able to a combination of cornstarch/corn flour and some different elements, though it will not style the identical (see the recipe notes).
Dairy-free milk. I choose utilizing soy milk because it provides richness to the bread and custard. We’re utilizing chilly or room-temperature milk so the bread does not rise too shortly.
Meals dye (pure or synthetic) to embellish the lovable snowman buns. I additionally used charcoal powder for the eyes and buttons.
Optionally available: Making the custard filling
First, I like to recommend combining the dry elements with a part of the milk, to stop the combination from getting lumpy. Then you’ll be able to add the remainder of the milk! It additionally helps to make use of a non-stick pan because the custard filling can follow the saucepan.
Whereas mixing often, prepare dinner the custard over medium-low warmth, till it has thickened right into a paste-like consistency. For a softer custard, you’ll be able to add a splash of milk (nevertheless, do not add an excessive amount of because it’ll be more durable to assemble the buns). Lastly, let the combination cool within the fridge or freezer.
Making the mantou dough
Mantou dough is straightforward to make because it solely requires one lengthy rise, not like different bread recipes, equivalent to my vegan brioche or cinnamon buns.
You may knead the dough utilizing a stand mixer (really helpful) or by hand on a floured floor. Initially, the dough can be a little bit shaggy, however simply maintain kneading till it is easy and silky.
For smooth cake-like buns, knead the dough till it kinds a easy ball. The dough needs to be barely cheesy however should not follow the aspect of your bowl or work floor.
For barely chewier buns, knead the dough till it reaches the windowpane stage. That is the place you’ll be able to stretch a bit of dough and it does not break. You also needs to have the ability to see gluten membranes within the dough, identical to the examples in King Arthur Baking’s publish.
Tips on how to form steamed custard buns
You may form your snowman decorations and buns with out resting the dough!
First, I like to recommend making the decorations to your snowman buns. I made a sweet cane scarf and some small balls for the eyes, nostril and buttons.
There are a couple of methods to form plain mantou buns. I choose to roll out the dough right into a circle and fold the perimeters into the center till the beneath is easy and taut. Merely Recipes exhibits a step-by-step information for shaping bread rolls.
Should you’re making custard buns, roll each bit of dough right into a ball (like above) then flatten it right into a tough circle. Place the custard ball within the center and fold the perimeters into the middle. One other methodology is to wrap the dough across the ball as seen on this YouTube video.
Lastly, for tremendous easy steamed buns, roll out any ‘wrinkles’ within the dough by rotating the balls in between your arms and/or work floor. It may take a little bit observe to get tremendous easy buns, however simply do what you’ll be able to!
Assembling the snowman buns
I like to recommend placing collectively the snowman buns on little items of parchment paper because it makes them simpler to switch to your steamer!
Listed below are my prime suggestions for adorning the lovable snowman buns:
- If it is a scorching day, adorn one snowman at a time and maintain the remainder in your fridge.
- Use water as ‘glue’ if it is advisable to stick a ornament in your snowman buns.
- In case your eyes, noses and buttons do not stay in place, use a toothpick or sharp object to indent your snowmen. In case your little colored balls are nonetheless falling out, add a little bit water to the indents.
- The buns will increase after they relaxation and are steamed, so maintain this in thoughts when inserting the decorations. The snowmen’s eyes, nostril and buttons will area out!
Ideas for steaming the buns
To steam the buns, I used a wok, bamboo steamer and a curved wok lid.
Crucial factor for steaming the snowman buns is to be sure they don’t seem to be uncovered to sudden temperature modifications. So, we’re beginning with chilly water, steaming the buns, then letting the buns relaxation within the steamer for no less than 5 minutes.
Additionally, the mantou or steamed custard buns develop in measurement by round ½ inch (1.5cm every) on all sides so be sure to area them aside! The image under exhibits the buns earlier than steaming.
Professional suggestions for making actually easy buns
Whereas this recipe is straightforward to make, the trickiest factor is to make steamed buns which can be as easy as those from yum cha. I examined these steamed buns round 7 occasions and that is what I like to recommend:
- Be sure you knead any air bubbles out of your dough, the primary time you knead the dough and whenever you’re shaping every bun.
- In case your kitchen is scorching, maintain the dough within the fridge. Overproofed dough will make bubbly steamed buns.
- Form every bun so its floor is easy. It sounds apparent however a easy floor will extra probably steam right into a easy bun. Uneven dough will make the buns dimply.
- Steam the buns slowly. As talked about earlier than, sudden temperature modifications will make these buns wrinkly.
Extra cute vacation recipes
Or see my different Asian-style desserts, together with my coconut peanut mochi and vegan egg tarts.
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Steamed Snowman Buns
These cute steamed snowman buns are made with a simple and fluffy Chinese language mantou dough and an optionally available custard filling. They’re vegan-friendly, dairy-free and the proper snack for the vacations!
Servings: 8 snowman buns
Substances
Vegan Custard Filling (optionally available)
Forestall your display screen from going darkish
Directions
Make the vegan custard filling (optionally available):
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Add the custard powder, sugar and flour and round ½ cup of milk to a saucepan. Whisk till there aren’t any lumps. Add the remainder of the milk and the butter and blend till mixed.
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Place the saucepan over medium warmth and blend continually. When the combination begins to thicken, flip off the warmth and proceed mixing till your custard turns right into a thick paste. Place the custard in a bowl and chill within the fridge or freezer till wanted.
Make the mantou dough:
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Add all of the dough elements (besides the meals colouring) to a stand mixer (with the dough hook) or a mixing bowl. If utilizing a stand mixer, knead the dough on medium velocity for 5-10 minutes. If mixing by hand, combine the elements in your bowl then switch the dough to a floured floor and knead till easy.
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Your dough is prepared when it is smooth, silky and barely cheesy however not sticky. In case your dough is sticky, add a little bit extra flour and knead once more. If the dough is simply too dry, add a splash of milk and knead once more.
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Take away round 50g of dough and put aside the remainder in an hermetic container within the fridge.
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Divide the 50g of dough into 3 heaps so you’ve got round 45g for the snowmen scarves, 4g for the eyes (round 1 teaspoon) and buttons and 1g for the nostril (round ¼ teaspoon). Knead every dough along with your desired meals color till effectively mixed. Form every colored dough as desired then retailer them in an hermetic container within the fridge till wanted.
Shaping the buns:
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Divide the dough into 16 items, so you’ve got round 8 x 35g items for the snowmen’s our bodies and eight x 15g items for the snowmen’s heads.
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Should you’re making plain mantou buns: Fold the perimeters of the dough into the center to offer a ball with a easy outer floor. Or maintain repeating till you’ve got a easy ball. Roll and rotate the ball in between your arms and work floor to easy out any wrinkles.
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Should you’re making custard buns: Divide the custard combination into 16 items, so you’ve got round 8 x 18g items for the snowmen’s our bodies and eight x 7g items for the snowmen’s heads. Gently roll them into balls. Flatten the dough into spherical circles and place a custard ball within the center. Wrap the dough across the custard and pinch the perimeters. Roll and rotate the ball in between your arms and work floor to easy the dough floor.
Assembling the snowmen:
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Minimize out 8 rectangular items of parchment paper to suit your snowmen. Pair the snowman our bodies with the snowman heads and place them on the parchment. Beautify the snowmen with the scarves, eyes, noses and buttons as desired. If any of the decorations aren’t ‘sticking’ the snowmen, dab the dough with a little bit water. If wanted, use a toothpick to frivolously indent the snowmen for his or her eyes, noses and buttons.
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Cowl the snowmen and allow them to relaxation at room temperature for 1-2 hours or till they’re puffy and jiggly.
Steaming the snowmen:
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Fastidiously place your snowmen into your steaming basket. Should you can solely steam few snowmen at a time, retailer the remaining snowmen in an hermetic container within the fridge.
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Refill your wok or steamer with 2-4 cups of water (relying on the dimensions of your steamer). Place your steaming basket into your steamer. Cowl with a curved lid or bamboo lid. When you’ve got a flat lid, wrap it in a tea towel.
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Place your steamer over excessive warmth. When steam begins to come back out of the lid, instantly cut back the range to medium warmth (I used 5 out of 10). Flip in your timer and steam the buns for 10 minutes.
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After 10 minutes, flip off the warmth. Go away the steamer on the range and let it sit for about 3-5 minutes with the lid on. After then, take away the lid and repeat for the remaining snowman buns.
Serving and storing:
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Benefit from the buns heat or barely cooled down. They are going to agency up as they cool.
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Retailer the buns in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days or within the freezer for as much as 1 month. To reheat and soften the buns, steam on medium warmth for five minutes or till heat. You can even warmth them up within the microwave however they are going to be drier.
Notes
- Many manufacturers of custard powder are by accident vegan and pre-sweetened for instance, Fowl’s and Foster Clarks. If utilizing one other model, double-check the elements to ensure it does not include milk or egg solids. Alternatively, you should utilize the identical quantity in cornstarch / corn flour, a pinch of turmeric and improve the sugar to ⅓ cup (65g). It will not style precisely the identical however can be related.
- Bao flour is much less absorbent than all-purpose flour so chances are you’ll want so as to add extra flour to make your dough a workable consistency.
- Immediate yeast does not must be ‘proofed’ beforehand. Should you use energetic dry yeast, mix it with the milk from the recipe and a pinch of sugar beforehand. Wait till it bubbles then use it within the recipe.
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