This one bite mini sweet bean paste bun is perfect breakfast for summer days or as a snack of picnic.
Steamed buns are also named as Mantou (unstuffed version) or Baozi (stuffed version) in China and they are a group of staple food for lots of province. Chinese people show their creativeness on steamed buns. For example, in Shandong province, most of the housewives can cook excellent steamed buns with different shapes. Some of them are stuffed with red dates while another group looks like flowers. We all have different preference concerning about the steamed buns. Lot of Chinese like plain version, which is free of sugar and milk. Plain steamed buns can be extremely delicious when serving with soups or dips. This is quite similar to baguette. While we also loves milky and sweet buns with a milky dough and a sweet filling for example the famous sweet bean paste buns (doushabao in Chinese).
My litter pinky daughter has her own preference. She loves the smooth skin (the skin can be ripped down). When I serving normal mantou or baozi, she is always tearing the skins. So I made this mini bite sweet bean paste buns with a larger amount of skins. If you have a similar preference with her, you will love this too!Check Dou Sha Bao for normal larger ones.
You will need
- 250g all-purpose flour or Bao flour (around 2 cups)
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 150ml milk (with 10ml more for adjusting)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons sweet red bean paste
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, add flour, instant yeast, milk and sugar and then mix at low speed for 8-9 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth. Shape it into a round ball by hand.
- Cover with a wet cloth and set aside in warm place until the dough is double in size. Then press the dough down and divide the dough into four equal portions.
- Divide your sweet bean paste into four equal portions and roll each one into a thin and long log around 12cm long.
- Take one portion out and knead for 3-4 minutes forcefully until all the holes gone and  then roll out to a long rectangle piece (around 12 cm long). And then place the sweet red bean paste log at 1/3 height of the rectangle dough piece, roll from one side tightly.
- Cut the two ends off (to remove any odd shaped buns) and then divide the long log into 15 pieces. Lay the small buns into your steamer and cover the lid, otherwise they will be dried out because of the air stream.
- Repeat to finish all the other three dough portions.
- Add cold water in pot and set up your steamer, rest for 30 minutes and steam for around 15 minutes after the water boils.
Mini Sweet Bean Paste Buns
Ingredients
- 250 g all-purpose flour , around 2 cups
- 2 tsp. instant yeast
- 150 ml milk , with 10ml more for adjusting
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 4 tbsp. sweet red bean paste
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, add flour, instant yeast, milk and sugar and then mix at low speed for 8-9 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth.
- Cover with a wet cloth and set aside in warm place until the dough is double in size. Press the dough down (to remove most of the air inside) and then divide the dough into four equal portions.
- Divide your sweet bean paste into four equal portions and roll each one into a thin and long log around 12cm long.
- Take one portion out and knead for 3-4 minutes until there is no small holes inside. And then roll it out to a long rectangle piece (around 12 cm long). Place the sweet red bean paste log at 1/3 height of the rectangle dough piece, roll from one side tightly.
- Cut the two ends off (to remove any odd shaped buns) and then divide the long log into 15 pieces. Lay the small buns into your steamer and cover the lid, otherwise they will be dried out because of the air stream.
- Repeat to finish all the other three dough portions.
- Add cold water in pot and set up your steamer, rest for 30 minutes and steam for around 15 minutes after the water boils.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi Elaine, i would like to get a bamboo steamer but need advise on how to use it – I noticed you lined the steamer before placing in the mantou. What do you line it with? Do you poke holes/cut out to let steam through?
Hi Hong,
You can use steam paper or use baking paper like me. But you will need to cut small holes to let the steam through. I usually fold the paper several times and cut some small holes. That’s a quick and simple method.
Thanks!
These sure we’re yummy, I made them today since is was raining and I was hungry for Chinese snacks. (I lived in Taiwan until I was in high school, and the market was only a block away,) I used old linen handkerchiefs to line my steamer. They came off easily with as pancake turner, even though some of my homemade filling leaked out.
Thanks for these recipes!
Mary, you are the most welcome! I am so glad it works for you too.
This is so gorgeous! I had these mini buns once in China about 17 years ago, and have been looking for a recipe ever since. I can hardly wait to make them. Thank you so much for sharing!
Yes, it is a memory food for me too. It is quite hard to find them in stores. But homemade version is good enough.