The Ultimate Guide to Making Perfect Mantou (Chinese Steamed Buns)

In a mixing bowl, mix milk, water, sugar, yeast and 100g of flour and stir until smooth. The liquid should be similar to your body temperature, I usually mix hot water into cold milk and the temperature will be just right.

Cover and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before storing in the fridge for 8 - 24 hours.

Method 1 - Using a stand mixer (preferred method)Add baking powder and oil into the sponge and mix well before pouring into a stand mixer.

Add the rest of the flour (reserve around 40g) and knead at around the medium low setting for 8 minutes. When the dough is done kneading, it should be sticky and stretchy. Since the dough is quite firm, reserving part of the flour makes the dough easier for the mixer to handle.

Transfer the dough onto a working surface, hand knead the reserved flour into the dough (you can do it in 2-3 batches) and knead until the flour is all incorporated. The dough should be firm and the surface should feel a bit moist when you touch it. It doesn't need to be very smooth.

Method 2 - Knead the dough by handsAdd baking powder and oil into the sponge and mix well before adding the rest of the flour. Stir them all together with a spatula until the liquid is absorbed before transferring onto a sturdy working surface.

Form the mixture into a dough ball and knead for 5 minutes. Cover the dough to rest for 5 minutes and then knead for another 5-7 minutes. To knead the dough, push/smear the dough downwards and away from you with the heel of your palm before rolling it back in (see picture below for reference).

Method 1 - Using pasta maker (faster and yields a smoother surface)Cut the dough into half and cover the part you are not working on. Flatten the dough with a rolling pin so it can fit through the pasta maker. Set the pasta maker to a thickness setting of 1 and roll the dough through it.

Fold the dough in half, roll it through the pasta maker again and repeat this step about 6-7 more times until you get a smooth surface. Flour the dough whenever it gets moist so it's easier to pass through the pasta maker.

Brush the surface of the dough with a bit of water, roll it up tightly into a log beginning from the straighter edge. Roll the log a few more times to make it a little bit longer or until it reaches your desired width.

Trim the two ends and cut the log into 4-5 pieces, reserve a little piece of dough (about the size of a cherry) to be the "rise time indicator". If and when the cutting flattens the dough pieces, shape the flattened edges back to their original height.

Place each piece of dough on a piece of parchment paper. Repeat the same steps with the rest of the dough that was laid aside earlier.

Method 2 - Rolling with hands Reserve a little piece of dough (about the size of a cherry) to be the "rise time indicator" and divide the rest into 8-10 pieces.

Take one piece of dough while covering the rest to prevent them from drying. Roll the dough into a log before folding it back (see the picture in the post) and roll it out again. Repeat this 3-4 times. This step is to eliminate the air bubbles, so you need to roll it harder to squeeze the bubbles out.

Drip a drop of water onto your surface and place the dough on the drop of water. Form a loose cup with your hand, cup the dough and roll it in a circular motion over your work surface in order to form it into a ball.

Place the dough between your two open palms and move one hand forward while moving the other hand back in order to shape the dough to be a bit taller. Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper and repeat the same steps with the rest of the dough.

Place the mantou and the small cup in your steamer. Fill a pot with 2 cups of water. Heat it up until it's warm to touch but not steaming (around 105°F/40°C) before placing the bamboo steamer on top of the pot to proof.

Proof until the dough in the small cup is double in size, It usually takes from 30 - 50 minutes. If you have a two layer steamer, switch half way as the bottom layer is a bit warmer than the top layer.

Turn the heat to medium and bring the water to a boil (no need to replace the water or remove the steamer).

When the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium low and steam for 18 minutes if your steamer has two layers (and 15 minutes steamers with one layer). Ideally, the heat is just high enough that wisps of steam are coming out from one part of the steamer. If steam is rushing out from all sides, then your heat is too high.

Once it's done steaming, turn off the heat and remove the steamer from the pot, open a tiny crack for 2 minutes to let the heat escape slowly before removing the lid.