Tangzong after-yeasted mantou

Based on my previous bao/mantou post, this video recipe by BaoBiZhen uses tangzhong and after-yeasted method to make mantou that are fluffy and soft yet have a shiny white skin. The whiteness is contributed by the lard, the moistness and bounce is a result of tangzhong and the after-yeasted method means that the gluten can develop before it's made to ferment so it stays soft for longer. There is only one fermentation so it's quicker to make.

Ingredients (makes 10 to 14)

100g flour

100g boiling water

400g flour

150g water

1 tbsp lard (or replace with corn oil)

5g yeast

1 tbsp water

Method

1. Make the tangzhong by combining the 100g each of flour and boiling water. Mix with chopsticks until no dry flour remains.

2. Once the is cool enough to handle, add the remaining 400g flour and another 150g water (room temp in summer or warm water in winter). Mix with chopsticks until a shaggy dough forms.

3. Add the lard. Knead till combined and then cover and allow to rest for 5 to 10 mins.

4. Knead for about 3 minutes and it's smooth. Mix 5g of yeast into 1 tbsp of water and then use a rubbing motion to knead into the dough. Takes about 3 minutes.

5. Once incorporated, roll the dough into a long log and cut into portions. Knead by folding and rolling (see the video) around 20 to 30 times per portion. Then roll into a ball before kneading it into a cylinder.

6. Place directly on parchment in the steaming basket. Either leave it to proof at room temp in summer, or over a wok of hot water in winter. (A trick - fill a bottle cap to the brim with leftover dough. Once the dough rises above the cap by about half the height of the cap, it's ready.

7. Place on the wok and switch on the heat. From the time the steam starts, steam on high heat: 18 mins (for 8 XL buns), 15 mins (for 10 L buns),  12 mins (for 12 M buns) and 10 mins (for 14 S buns). Once time's up, switch off the fire and allow to steam further for 3 minutes.

Tangzong dumpling-inspired tall mantou and bao

I tried 5 different bao recipes in 2025, probably my most prolific trial of bao methods. I shall exclude the 5 Black grain mantou attempt which is not directly comparable because cooked blended grain mixture was integrated into the bao dough itself rather than the filling. Otherwise it's a standard mix and one-proof receipt. I'm also excluding the Custard recipe which I didn't try but noted it down because of the filling, where oil is added in 3 stages like brioche. 

The next three are all hand kneading. There is the summer yeasted mantou which adds the yeast water in after the dough has been kneaded. It has a shorter proofing time due to summer and will apparently make taller beautiful buns. The last 2 trials are by the same blogger which focuses on the fillings. First is black sesame filling which has a milk bun with very short proofing time. The second focuses on the custard filling using the same method and a short proofing time.

This latest mantou recipe ZhenMaDaiWaJi uses the scalded flour method often used with making the stretchy skin associated with dumplings. Basically tangzhong. This is also hand kneading with minimal proofing time. This method is similar to Little Goose Food mantou recipe who also uses scalded flour. Goose explains that adding just boiled water introduces a fragrance to the scalded flour and cooks the gluten. However, Goose kneads the dough and rests it for 10 mins, then kneads to smooth surface. Then she separately kneads in yeasted water and knead for 2 mins to incorporate. This 'later yeasted method', she explains, results in a smoother skin.

Both videos describes a better method of making tall beautiful buns.

Ingredients (makes 14)

30g flour

250g just boiled water

500g flour

3g instant yeast

Method

1. Mix the 30g flour with just boiled water. 

2. Once dissolved, add in 500g flour. Use chopsticks to stir and make a claggy dough.

3. When the dough is warm to the touch (ie not scalingly hot still), prepare the yeast. Add the yeast to 1 tbsp of water and stir to dissolve. Add the yeast mixture to the dough and mix to form a claggy dough.

4. Knead on a benchtop until the skin is smooth. Better yet, let it relax for 10 minutes after kneading.

5. Without needing to proof, go ahead and form the balls. Roll and knead each and tuck into a ball so that it forms a smooth skin. Here's the main tip - form tall cylinders using the cupping action. (see the videos, Little Goose gives a better step-by-step tutorial. Form a ball first then put on the surface and roll between the palms to form tall cylinders.)

6. Place each on parchment. Put in a steamer, on top of a wok filled with warm water. Let it proof until 1.5x the size. The bao would have grown without flattening and expanding sideways. When you lightly indent the side with a finger, it will spring back out.

7. The water should have returned to room temp by now. Turn on the heat and steam for 15 mins counting from once the water boils. 

Pretty pleats and the inside is moist and even has 'gravy'!

If using filling, a very similar method by QiaoXieXXiaoYu with different proportions.

Bao ingredients

50g flour 

250g boiling water (slightly more if flour is too dry)

450g flour

3-5g instant yeast

Filling ingredients

500g minced pork

2 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp bullion powder

Pinch of salt

Dash of white pepper

30g lard, liquid

50g spring onion, chopped

100g infused water (ginger, spring onion infusion, sichuan peppercorn)

Method

1. Add the just off the boil water to the 50g flour and mix.

2. Add in the 450g flour and mix. Add in the yeast (she didn't let it cool down!). Knead for about 10 minutes (far from windowpane and smooth). Depressing the finger indentations into the dough doesn't cause the indentations to spring back up. Cover and proof until 2x the size, approx 70mins.

3. Meanwhile prepare the filling. Mix all the ingredients except the water. Mix the meat with chopsticks in one direction until sticky.

4. Add in the water a bit at a time and continue stirring in 1 direction.

5. Add in the liquid lard and chopped spring onions. Refrigerate.

6. The bao sld have proofed sufficiently. Knead to degas on the benchtop surface. The surface should be very smooth now and a depressed indentation springs back. 

7. Roll into a long log. Cut into chunks. Roll each chunk flat to degas then roll into a ball. (See the video).

8. Roll each wrapper flat with a chinese rolling pin. I used this method by Ah Cheen to make dumpling skins which involves applying pressure on alternating sides to automatically produce a very round-shaped dumpling skin. This only works if you don't need a skin with a slightly thicker centre and thin edges.

9. When adding filling, I used this very detailed bao wrapping method by LiFenFen to produce many uniform crimps. Cup to smoothen the surface and then roll between both palms to form a tall cylinder.

Documenting my attempts over the years (not exhaustive), where I nearly gave up around 2023-2024 and just didn't bother pleating anymore. I finally did it thanks to this video!

10. Place in a steamer on parchment. Place steamer over a wok with hot water to proof for 10 to 15 mins. Once a finger indentation springs back, it's time for steaming. (basically I just waited until I finished wrapping all the remaining bao).

11. Once the water has boiled, steam for 12 mins. Turn off the heat and allow to rest for further 3 minutes before opening the cover. Skin will be super elastic and bouncy (like dumpling skin).

Recipe feedback

- Definitely a keeper as far as ease of handling the dough, keeping the pleats distinct, and minimal proofing time required! As far as a hand kneading recipe goes, this is pretty close to prefect. Sure the bao isn't as bouncey and fluffy as with longer proofing but frankly, this is pretty close!

- Because the dough is more elastic than fluffy, it more closely resembles dumpling dough. This bao would make a great bao jian fried and steamed on the pan, with crispy bottom.

- Update: There's a recipe that combines both the scalded flour AND post-yeasted method. The scalded flour traps the moisture whereas adding the yeast afterwards is supposed to make the dough more easy to knead and thus produce a smoother (less dimplied) shinier skin.

Summer yeasted Mantou (后酵母 method）

This mantou dough XiaoHong uses a different method with single proof by adding the yeast AFTER the dough has been kneaded. 

Ingredients

500g bao or regular flour

270g warm water

5g instant yeast + 5g water

Method

1. Mix the flour and water and knead until a dough forms. Cover and allow to rest for 15 minutes. The dough already comes out smooth.

2. In a small bowl, add 5g of instant yeast to 5g water. Mix until combined and bloomed.

3. Create a well in the dough and pour in. Slowly pull and fold from outside in and knead until combined for about 2 minutes.

4. Roll into a log and divide into around 10 pieces. Flatted and continue kneading and then form balls.

5. Place in a steamer lined with paper. Cover and allow to proof until 1.5 to 2x, until the dough springs back when gently depressed with a thumb.

6. With the steamer on top, turn on the flame to high and steam for 15 minutes. Turn off the fire and allow to rest for 3 minutes. The bao should be fluffy and moist.

Ingredients

250g just boiled water

500g bao or regular flour

3g yeast

Method (makes 6)

1. Into the hot water, grab a handful of flour and put into the water. Use chopsticks to stir into paste.

2. Add the remaining flour and stir with chopsticks. This will yield a claggy dough. Use hands to gather into a ball. The hot water will break the gluten structures to make the buns more soft and bouncy.

3. Cover to rest for 10 mins.

4. Once it's relaxed, knead for 10 to 15 minutes until the surface is smooth. 

5. Press it flat into a rectangle and make an indentation in the centre. Add the yeast into the centre. Add around 1 to 2 tbsp of water just to dissolve the yeast. Roll up the dough and knead until the yeast is well incorporated, around 5 minutes. Using this method, it's easy to form a dough with a smooth surface.

6. Roll into a log and divide into 6 pieces. Knead each piece to release the gas, and form a ball with your palm. Then, roll to form a tall cone.

7. Place directly into the steamer onto parchment. Cover and allow to rest until 1.5x or until a finger indentation on the surface springs back.

8. Start a wok with water on high. Only when the water is rapidly boiling, put the steamer on top and steam for 15 minutes. Turn off the flame and rest for 3 minutes.

Similarly Chui Jie uses this recipe for summer. This recipe has 5g yeast with 250g water and 500g flour. She kneads 3x for around 5 minutes each, but rests in between each kneading. The dough is easier to knead than 15 mins upfront. She says using this method of adding yeast later, all the buns rise at the same time to the same size. She also starts the steaming from cold water.

5 black grain mantou

From this FB recipe by MiaoVibe.

Ingredients (makes 12 four-inch wide)

50g black sesame seeds

20g black rice (I substituted with 20g raisins)

20g black beans

20g blackberries (I substituted with 20g frozen blueberries)

10g black goji (I used regular)

10g walnuts

400ml water

600g flour (I used bread flour)

5g instant yeast

1 tbsp white sugar

pinch of salt

1 tbsp lard or butter

Notice the size difference (the bottom 6) of the second batch that had 30 mins extra proofing (due to waiting for the first batch to steam) compared to the first batch

Method

1. Add the grains, walnuts and black fruits to a blender with 400g of water. Using the Soya milk mode, blend. Allow to cool down.

2. Pour the flour on a table. Create a well and add the yeast, sugar and salt (keep salt away from the yeast). Mix well.

3. Pour in the grain mixture. Use hands to knead till no flour is left. Use a scraper to gather the dough if it helps.

4. Place in a bowl and cover. Allow to proof for 1 hr until about it grows to about 1.5x.

5. Turn out of the bowl and deflate. Knead and the longer you do so, the softer the bun.

6. Flour the surface well. Form into a log and cut into equal sized pieces. Form a ball with each. Makes about 12 (approx 108 to 110g of dough each).

7. Place directly in the steamer and place over a wok of warm water to proof for 15 to 30 mins. 

8. Remove the steamer and turn on the fire till it starts boiling. Put the steamer back on the wok and steam on medium high for 30 minutes. Leave covered for 10 minutes after switching off the flame.

Recipe feedback

- Overall a very wet dough. I didn't use mixer and mixed by hand throughout.

- The second batch that had an extra 30 minutes of proofing while waiting for the first batch to steam came out so much fluffier! A definite must-do if time permits.

- So far, those recipes that I used bao flour here and here and here all using KA have been most successful. They have been easy to shape too but the issue is that their 'face' never comes out smooth and they always tend to flatten and crawl out sideways. 

- If only this recipe's dough wasn't so wet and difficult to work with, it would have been great for wrapping bao. Their 'faces' and shape came out smooth and round!

Spring onion Flower buns

This 花卷 is a northern Chinese bun used in place of noodles and rice, unlike southern Chinese cuisine. There are several ways of rolling the bun but the ingredients and method are pretty similar. However, I've not had good experience with the standard 包 method so I prefer to use the revolutionary recipe I've found except the pleats may not come out so nicely.

Here are several video recipes I've found with bun rolling techniques and also standard recipes. 

1. Deliholic: Three different ways of cutting or rolling the buns

2. Revy loves big apple: cautions that adding soda to spring onion can ensure the colour stays green but the powder stains the bun yellow.

: cautions against buns that aren't well-rested won't roll into nice flowers but will tear.

: Combine then rest 10 minutes while preparing the scallions, knead 5 minutes and rest 10 minutes, roll into buns then rest until buns have proved to twice their size (no time given), steam 15 minutes.

3. Magic ingredients: Most comprehensive video

: says that no special flour or yeast

: Combine then knead 10 minutes or rest 15 minute before kneading if the bun is too 'tight'. Rest 1.5 hours and prepare scallions. Pan fry the onions with salt and cool. After proving, knead for 3 minutes before rolling into buns. This 3-minute kneading can be omitted but will result in smoother buns. However, this will cause the buns to tighten up again, which will require 15 minutes resting before forming the buns. If the buns prove too hard to form into the flower shape, rest 5 minutes. Prove 1 hour. Steam 15 minutes but let steam escape 5 minutes.

4. Cook with Bin

: nothing really special about this except the use of salt and pepper or other taste to the bun and fold 4 times rather than 3.

: highlights that you know the buns have proofed correctly when they feel light rather than dense

Ingredients (makes 12 to 14)

Followed this recipe but increased to 500g of flour in total

Starter

250g bao flour

2 tsp yeast

1 tbsp sugar

200ml warm water

1. Mix sugar with water until dissolved.

2. Add bao flour and mix. Sticky batter. Cover and allow to rise for 2.5 hours in a warm place.

Filling

1 spring onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp oil

2 tsp sesame seeds (optional)

salt and pepper to taste (or 5 spice powder)

When the starter is proofing, chop up 1 spring onion finely. Add a pinch of baking soda and fry in 2 tbsp oil until just fragrant. Add optional 2 tsp sesame seeds. Set aside to cool.

Main bao

250g bao flour

3 tbsp sugar

2.5 tsp baking powder

3 to 4 tbsp of water (just enough to bring dough together)

1 tbsp + 2 tsp lard or veg oil

¼ tsp salt

1. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and combine.

2. To the starter, add the lard and water. Combine. It will be very sticky and wet.

3. Add the dry mixture and mix well. Beat (if using KA) until it cleans the side of the bowl. If using hand, mix in the bowl until the bowl comes clean. Transfer onto flour surface and knead for 10 minutes. Shape into a ball. Allow to rest, covered, for 10 minutes before shaping if the dough is too taut.

4. Roll out the dough until about 1cm thick and rectangular. Layer on the spring onion oil. Less is more! Sprinkle on salt and pepper. Fold on the long edge 3-4 times (width of each fold should be length of index finger) and pat down after each fold.

5. Cut strips, about 2cm wide alternated with 1.5cm wide. Lay the thinner strip on top of the thicker strip. Pull both ends then twist around a chopstick twice (watch the video). Lay the rosette down on the table and hold it between third and fourth fingers,  pin down the seams and carefully withdraw the chopstick.

6. Let the buns rest in a covered steamer for 10 minutes. You know they're ready when you pick them up and they feel light rather than dense. Heat up the water from cold with the buns on top. Once the water starts to boil, steam for 10 to 12 minutes.

7. Turn off the fire and open a side slit to let the steam escape. After 5 minutes of resting, serve.

Recipe feedback

- Less really is more with the filling. Following one blogger, I chopped up the spring onions as much as I could. Also, following another blogger, I tried to spread a very thin layer of oil but still was too enthusiastic. This meant the bun was very hard to twist (because it was oily and going everywhere) and form into a nice tight rosette. However it kept the 'petals' fairly separate and pretty.

- It's important to salt the bun either in the mixture or in the bun itself.