Plain Mantou

My eldest monster is not feeling well, she don't want to take anything then I'm thinking make something plain and cutie for her. I get the dough recipes is to make char siew bao but I use it to make plain buns because this recipes is easy and no need to make the starter dough and wait for 1 days to proof. Finally all the different style of mantou is here. 

At first I'm just thinking to make some plain piggies bun but the little monster is beside of me and ask can I have something different like octopus, bird, chicken, dog , fish, hello kitty(boy and girl), bunny, panda, cat and she ask for monkey as well...oh how can I make it then I try my best to make her happy and let the eldest to take some food.

Then finally I can't make monkey and I have add a clown, pumpkin on top of her requested. Then she say the clown keep it for daddy...my funny dear.

And ask for tail for each bun.....then I say some doesn't have tail darling.

At last my eldest monster take three and the little take seven in one go...later she say to me they all have a fight in my tummy.

Adapted from: RasaMalaysia (Char Siew Bao dough)

Recipes source: Lydia Teh of My Kitchen

Dough (makes 16 to 18 buns)

(minor changes by monsterandsharkkitchen)

8 gm instant dry yeast 

160 ml lukewarm water

1/2 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice (optional)

280 gm low-protein flour

100 gm wheat starch

90 gm icing sugar

30 gm shortening or vegetable oil

5 gm baking powder

1 tsp chocolate powder or cocoa power(mix with some hot water)

Some food coloring for characters mantou

Method:

1. Sift together flours, icing sugar and baking powder. Place sifted flour mixture in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the middle.

2. Fill well with lukewarm water, vinegar and yeast. Use a spatula, gently stir the water to dissolve the yeast then slowly bring together flour mixture.

3. Add in shortening or oil and knead for 10-15 minutes until soft dough is formed. It should be smooth on the surface.

4. Cover dough with damp cloth and let it rise for 30 minutes or until it is doubled in size.(depend the weather, I'm wait for 1 hour to rise).

5.Take some dough to mix with the chocolate paste or any food coloring you prefer.

6. Divide dough, make to a ball shape or whatever shape you like and create your own character buns. Place it on baking paper, seal side down. Cover the buns with damp cloth when you do the rest of the buns to make buns moist.

7. Arrange buns into steamer, leave about 1" gab in between buns. Spray water mist over buns and steam in a preheated steamer on high heat for 12 minutes. Remove buns from steamer and cool on rack to prevent soggy bottom.

Notes:

1. There is no need to rest the dough after shaping, but if time allowed rest for 10 minutes to get fluffier buns.

2. Adding a few drops of vinegar into steaming water will produce whiter buns.

3. Steamer must be preheated otherwise bun would not rise to the volume as it should be.

4. Spray the surface of bun with water mist helps to produce buns with smooth surface.

5. Do NOT open the lid during the steaming process.

Characters Mantou update 18 Jun 2013

Characters Mantou