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These delicate, pillowy buns are easy to prepare and quick to bake. Let your imagination—or refrigerator contents—inspire an endless number of exciting fillings: pork belly, tofu, mushrooms, even fried chicken.

KEEP SCREEN ON

Yield: 20 Buns

Ingredients
Ingredient
–1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

–1 1/3 cups cake flour

–6 tablespoons warm water

–6 tablespoons whole milk

–3 tablespoons sugar

–1 tablespoon olive oil

–2 teaspoons instant yeast

–1/2 teaspoon baking powder

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Preparation Method

  1. Combine all ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer. With the dough hook in place, mix on low until the dough begins to come together. Increase the speed to medium-low and continue mixing for 7 minutes. If the dough seems dry, add a teaspoon of water at a time; conversely, if the dough seems too moist and is not pulling away from the sides of the mixing bowl, add a teaspoon of all-purpose flour at a time. 
  2. Remove dough from mixing bowl; place inside a lightly oiled, rigid container. Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel. Let dough proof until doubled in size, about 90 minutes. 
  3. Remove dough from the proofing container and place on the counter. Divide dough into two equal portions; shape each portion into a log. 
  4. Divide each log into 10 equal pieces (20 total). Roll each piece into a ball and place on a lightly floured counter. Cover with plastic wrap or warm damp towels; let proof for 15 minutes. 
  5. One at a time, roll out 10 of the dough balls into three-inch rounds; lightly brush top with oil and fold each round in half. Reserve the remaining 10 pieces of dough. 
  6. Grease a perforated pan with non-stick spray. Place buns onto greased perforated pan. Cover with a warm towel; let proof for 15 minutes. 
  7. While the first batch is proofing, roll, shape, and proof the remaining 10 dough balls. 
  8. Place the perforated pan at rack position “2.” Set oven to 210°F Steam Mode. Steam for 10 minutes. 
  9. Remove pan from oven. Remove buns from pan. Squares of parchment paper can help prevent cooked bao from sticking together. 
  10. Grease the perforated pan again; place the second batch of proofed buns on the pan. Steam for 8 minutes; steaming will take less time because the oven is preheated. Serve buns immediately.