Whole wheat bran absorbs water and makes a plain steamed dough feel firm. Cooking a small portion of the flour with water first gelatinizes its starch and helps the finished buns stay softer after they cool. The crumb will still be browner and slightly heartier than white bao.
It can feel a bit more dense than traditional white flour bao, but it's completely normal and at least you'll be full after eating it !
BreadsWhole Wheat Bao Buns
These 100% whole wheat bao buns are folded into soft pockets for savory fillings. A quick tangzhong keeps the wholemeal dough more supple, like you were using white flour I swear.
Ingredients
Tangzhong
Dough
Shaping
Preparation Steps
Cook the tangzhong
Whisk the flour and water in a small saucepan until smooth. Stir over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens into a glossy paste, around 65°C. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool until just warm and you can stick your finger in it.
Activate the yeast
Warm the dough water until lukewarm, around 35°C. Stir in the active dry yeast and leave until slightly foamy.
Mix and hydrate
Combine the dough flour, sugar and salt. Add the tangzhong, yeast mixture and dough oil; mix into a rough dough. Cover and leave briefly so the bran can absorb the water.
Knead and rise
Knead (I did it with a robot) until the dough is smooth, pliable and lightly tacky, not stiff. Cover the bowl and leave in a warm place until the dough looks noticeably puffier and has doubled in size.
Shape the folded bao
Gently deflate the dough and divide it into eight equal pieces. Roll each into a thin oval, brush the surface lightly with the shaping oil and fold it in half over a chopstick; remove the chopstick and set the bun on a small piece of baking parchment.
Proof the shaped buns
Keep the folded buns covered (with a wet towel for example) until visibly puffed and light. Give them space so they do not stick together as they rise.
Steam and rest
Bring water in a steamer pot to a steady simmer, keeping it below the basket. Steam the buns over medium heat until swollen and set, about 10–12 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the lid closed for 5 minutes before moving the buns to a rack. I did another try with my steamed oven, 100 degrees celsius with full steam mode. It took 10-12min and the results were quite similar.
Recipe insights
What tangzhong does for whole wheat bao
Can you freeze whole wheat bao buns?
Yes. Steam them first, cool them fully, then freeze in a sealed bag with parchment between the buns. Re-steam directly from frozen until hot and soft, usually around 5 minutes; avoid leaving them uncovered while they cool or reheat.
Garnishing
Of course, you can do as my 1-year-old does and eat the bao bun as it is, but you can also level it up with proper garnishes: tofu with soy sauce and green onions, kimchi and chicken… I’ll share another recipe in the coming days, and I’ll try to make a protein version using pulses!
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