brown sugar blooming steamed buns

How to Make Brown Sugar Flower Mantou

Brown sugar flower mantou, a beloved Chinese steamed bun, delights with its soft texture, sweet brown sugar filling, and beautiful flower-like shape. Here’s a simple guide to making it at home.

Ingredients: For the dough: 300g all-purpose flour, 3g yeast, 15g sugar, 150ml warm water. For the filling: 50g brown sugar, 10g all-purpose flour (to prevent leakage), a pinch of salt.

Steps:

1. Prepare the dough: Mix flour, yeast, and sugar in a bowl. Gradually add warm water and knead into a smooth dough. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.

2. Make the filling: Combine brown sugar and flour, mixing evenly. Divide into small balls.

3. Shape the mantou: Punch down the risen dough and divide into equal portions. Roll each into a circle, place a brown sugar ball in the center, and wrap tightly, pinching the seam to seal.

4. Create the flower shape: Place the dough seam-side down. Use a knife to cut 4-5 slits from the top center toward the base (without cutting through), then gently stretch the slits to form petals.

5. Proof and steam: Let the shaped mantou rise for 20 minutes. Steam over high heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them rest for 5 minutes before opening the lid.

Serve warm for a delightful treat, with the molten brown sugar oozing out—a perfect balance of sweetness and fluffiness!