Mantou, Steamed Buns

📝 Ingredients

• 310 g plain flour (300 g for the dough, 10 g for the work surface)
• 150 ml semi-skimmed milk (for the dough)
• 4 g dried yeast (1 tsp)
• 20 g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 l semi-skimmed milk (to serve)
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Mixing bowl
• Rolling pin
• Steamer or steamer basket
• Saucepan
• Knife
• Baking paper

📖 Steps

1. Warm the 150 ml milk in the microwave for 30 seconds: it should feel just lukewarm to the touch (about 35 °C), not hot, or the yeast will die. Stir in the yeast and sugar, then leave to stand for 5 min, until a light foam appears.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine 300 g flour with 1 pinch of salt, pour in the yeasted milk and mix with a spoon, then by hand, until it forms a ball. The dough seems dry at first: that's normal, it softens as you knead.
3. Knead for 10 min on the work surface, until the dough is very smooth, firm and silky, with no cracks. Return it to the bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 1 h in a warm place, until doubled in size.
4. Dust the work surface with the reserved 10 g and knead the dough again for 2 min to push out the air bubbles: this is what gives a fine crumb and a very smooth top. Then roll it out into a rectangle of about 30 × 20 cm.
5. Roll the dough up tightly from the long side to form a log, then cut it into 8 equal pieces. Place each mantou on a square of baking paper in the steamer basket, 3 cm apart, and leave to rise, covered, for 20 min.
6. Meanwhile, cook the eggs for 10 min in a saucepan of boiling water, cool them in cold water and peel them. Fill the base of the steamer with water and bring to the boil.
7. Set the basket over the boiling water, cover and steam for 12 min over a medium heat. Turn off the heat and wait 3 min before lifting the lid: too sudden a change in temperature makes the buns wrinkle and collapse.
8. Heat the litre of milk without letting it boil and divide it between 4 bowls. Serve 2 warm mantou per person with a halved hard-boiled egg, seasoned with salt and pepper, and the bowl of hot milk.