Char siu bao

Time: 2 days

Yield: 10-12 buns

This recipe is adapted from Woks of Life's char siu bao recipe!

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Sweet stiff levain:

• Mature starter: 40g / 33%

• Bread flour: 120g / 100%

• Water: 54g / 45%

• Brown sugar: 40g / 33%

Tangzhong:

• AP flour: 25g

• Milk: 100g

Dough:

• Heavy cream: 160g / 34%

• Milk: 125g / 26%

• Egg: 50g / 11% - 1 large egg

• Sugar: 54g / 11%

• AP flour: 475g / 100%

• Sweet stiff levain: 200g / 42%

• Salt: 7g / 1%

• Butter, melted: 57g / 12%

• Tangzhong: 114g / 24%

Filling:

• Vegetable oil: 2 tbsp

• Onion: half of a medium onion, diced

• Sugar: 2 tbsp

• Soy sauce: 1.5 tbsp

• Oyster sauce: 2 tbsp

• Sesame oil: 2 tsp

• Dark soy sauce: 2 tsp

• Chicken stock: 3/4 cup

• Flour: 3 tbsp

• Char siu, diced: 2 cups

Egg wash: 1 egg, dash of milk; sesame seeds to garnish

1. Make char siu & filling. Set aside to chill.

2. Make tangzhong. Mix milk and flour together in shallow pan, just to combine. Turn on medium-low heat. Stir constantly until mixture is a thick slurry.

3. Let tangzhong cool.

4. Once cool, combine tangzhong with remaining ingredients. Mix in standing mixer on low (stir or 2). If on stir, check after 15 min. If on 2, check after 10.

5. Cover, let proof for 5-6 hours. Dough should rise about 50%.

6. Shape into ~12 wrappers, fill with 1-2 tbsp of filling. Cover, let proof in warm spot (I use the oven with the light on) for another 2-4 hours, until increased about 50%. Keep an eye on these - the oven can get hot, so you don't want to overproof.

7. Preheat oven to 375. Egg wash and dash with sesame seeds.

8. Bake for 13-15 min, until golden brown.