Chocolate Bao Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour one 13x9 inch pan.
• In large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter and 1 ounce chocolate over low heat. Remove from heat, stir in 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup flour, walnuts, baking powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 eggs, and mix well. Spread chocolate base evenly into prepared pan.
• In a small bowl, combine 6 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup white sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 egg, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat for one minute with an electric mixer at medium speed, or until smooth and fluffy. Spread cream cheese filling over chocolate mixture.
• Bake base and filling at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare frosting. Melt 1/3 cup butter, 2 ounces chocolate, milk, and 2 ounces cream cheese in large saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, and add confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat well. Use heat to soften if it begins to dry before you are ready to use it.
• Spread marshmallows over the top the chocolate bar in pan. Pour warm frosting over marshmallows. Use kitchen knife to somewhat mix the two. Let cool to room temperature. When cool, cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Cut cold into small pieces.

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the milk, yeast, sugar, and flour with a rubber spatula until the dough starts to come together.
• Fit the stand mixer with the dough hook and mix the dough on medium-high speed for 10 minutes, until smooth.
• Cover the dough with a wet towel and let rest for 1 hour.
• Pull off about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball, then roll out into a log. Fold the outer ends of the log inward to overlap the center, then roll out into a log again. Repeat 2-3 more times, until the dough is very smooth. Roll the dough into a ball again. Press the ball flat, then flip so the less-smooth side is up. Press a chocolate truffle into the center, then wrap the dough around the truffle to seal. Roll into a smooth ball again and place on a small square of parchment paper. Repeat to make 12 total buns, leaving some excess dough for decorating.
• Add a few drops of pink food coloring to another portion of dough and roll out the dough as before, until the color is uniform.
• Pull off a very small portion of dough and add a drop of black food coloring. Knead until the coloring is uniform.
• Use a finger to slightly dampen the outside of a bun. Stick on 2 small dots of black dough for the eyes. Shape a piece of pink dough into a flat disc, then stick on the front of the bun for the nose. Shape 2 more small pieces of pink dough into cone shapes, then stick on top of the bun for the ears. Use the end of a chopstick to poke 2 holes in the snout, then into the center of the ears to make folds. Repeat with the remaining buns.
• Let the buns rest for 30 minutes.
• Fill the bottom of a steamer with water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. (If you don't have a steamer, fill a large pot with a bowl at the bottom with water, then place a plate on top of the bowl, making sure the water does not come over the edges of the plate.)
• Add the buns to the steamer, leaving enough space for the buns to expand. Cover the pot and steam the buns for 9-10 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through. Turn off the heat and let the buns rest in the steamer for 5 minutes before serving.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Mix together the flour, caster sugar and ½ tsp salt in a large bowl (see tip). Dissolve the yeast and a pinch of sugar in 1 tbsp warm water, then add it to the flour with the milk, sunflower oil, rice vinegar and 200ml water. Mix into a dough, adding a little extra water if needed.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10-15 mins, or until smooth. Put in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise for 2 hrs, or until doubled in size.
• Tip the dough out onto a clean work surface and punch it down. Flatten the dough with your hands, then sprinkle over the baking powder and knead for 5 mins.
• Roll out the dough into a long sausage shape, about 3cm thick, then cut into pieces that are about 3cm wide - you should have 18. In the palm of your hand, roll each piece of dough into a ball and leave to rest for 2-3 mins.
• Use a rolling pin to roll out each ball, one by one, into an oval shape about 3-4mm thick. Rub the surface of the dough ovals with oil and brush a little oil over a chopstick. Place the oiled chopstick in the centre of each oval. Fold the dough over the chopstick, then slowly pull out the chopstick.
• Cut 18 squares of baking parchment and put a bun on each. Transfer to a baking tray, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for 1 hr 30 mins, or until doubled in size.
• Heat a large steamer over a medium-high heat. Steam the buns for 8 mins until puffed up (you'll need to do this in batches). Prise open each bun and fill with our barbecue pork and pickled carrot & mooli. Eat while they're still warm.