CHINESE BREAD RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over a mixture of 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup flour and leave for around 15-30 minutes.
• Stir in the remaining water/ milk, flour, salt, sugar, pepper (if using) and oil.
• Mix everything to a dough.
• Turn it on to a floured work surface and knead it until it is smooth.
• Return it to the bowl, cover it and leave it in a warm place for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until it has tripled in size.
• Punch down the dough with the back of your fist to flatten on a floured board.
• Sprinkle the baking powder over and knead for a few minutes.
• Shape the dough into 24 rolls.
• Keep each ball on a wax paper and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
• You can place these balls on individual pieces of wax paper so you can use these to place in the steamer too for easier handling.
• Bring water in the bottom of a steamer to a boil first.
• Then place the rolls in the steamer, leaving a 1-inch gap between them.
• Cook in batches if need be.
• Cook them for 10-15 minutes, or until they are firm and cooked through.
• Do not turn the heat off before you lift the lid of the steamer as this causes blistering on the surface of the rolls.
• Serve them hot.

Steps:

• Put the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the warm milk. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir to dissolve. It should foam and bubble. If it does not, discard and use a fresh package of yeast. Stir in the egg, oil and remaining milk.
• Put the flour and remaining sugar in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process 2 seconds. With the machine running, pour the warm milk mixture down the feed tube in a steady stream. Process until it forms a rough ball. If ball is sticky and wet, add a little more flour. Process a few seconds longer, or until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Remove dough to a lightly floured board.
• Knead dough, dusting with flour to keep it from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 2 minutes.
• Place in a large oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch down dough and place on a lightly floured surface. It is now ready to form into rolls, buns or loaves.
• If preparing filled buns: Cut dough in half. Form each half into a 12-inch long log; cut into 10 pieces. Roll each piece into a 4-inch circle. Roll outer inch of each circle 1/8-inch thin; leave middle slightly thicker.
• If right-handed, place a dough circle in palm of your left hand. Put a big tablespoon of filling in the; middle; put left thumb over the filling. With your right hand, bring up edge and make a pleat in it.
• Rotate circle a little and make a second pleat. As you make each pleat, gently pull it up and around as if to enclose your thumb. Continue rotating, pleating and pinching, then gently twist into a spiral. Pinch to seal. Place bun pleated side down on a parchment square. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Put buns 1 1/2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Let rise until doubled in size, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat egg yolks with water and sugar; brush over buns. Bake 20 minutes.