Lotus Seed Paste Buns (Lianrong Bao)
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes (includes proofing)
Servings: 6 buns
Country of Origin
China (Guangdong / Cantonese Style)
Description
A luxury sweet bun found on dim sum carts. Soft, white, pillowy steamed yeast dough encasing a rich, creamy filling made from ground lotus seeds. It offers a sophisticated flavor profile that is clean, smooth, and naturally nutty.
Presentation & How It's Eaten
Served piping hot in a bamboo steaming basket. Peel away the paper backing and pull the bun apart with your fingers to reveal the glossy filling.
Ingredients
250g all-purpose flour or low-protein bao flour
130ml warm water
3g (1 tsp) instant dry yeast
20g sugar
5ml vegetable oil
150g sweet lotus seed paste (divided into 6 balls, 25g each)
Step-by-Step Directions
Mix Yeast Dough: Dissolve the sugar and yeast into the warm water. Pour the liquid and vegetable oil into the flour, mixing with chopsticks until it forms a shaggy dough.
Knead Smooth: Knead the dough vigorously by hand for 10 minutes until it becomes completely smooth and elastic with no lumps.
Divide: Roll the dough into a log and slice into 6 equal pieces (about 65g each). Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten out into a disk that is thicker in the center and thinner around the edges.
Wrap Fillings: Place a ball of lotus seed paste in the middle of a dough disk. Wrap the dough skin over the filling, pleating the edges tightly together at the top to seal completely.
Proof: Place each stuffed bun on a square of parchment paper inside your steamer basket. Cover with the lid and let them rise in a warm spot for 30 to 45 minutes until puffed and light.
Steam: Fill the steamer base with cold water. Set the basket on top and turn the heat to high. Once steaming, cook on medium-high heat for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the lid closed for 5 minutes before opening.
Cooking Tips
Thick in the Center: When rolling out your dough wrapper circles, always make sure the center of the circle remains twice as thick as the outer edges. If you roll the disc uniformly flat, the top of the bun will end up with a massive knot of extra dough while the bottom will be paper-thin, causing the filling to break through.
Nutrition Facts
(Estimated per bun)
Calories: ~230 kcal
Total Fat: 3.5g
Saturated Fat: 0.5g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 5mg
Total Carbohydrates: 45g
Protein: 5g
Comments