Brown Sugar Mantou (Hóng Táng Mántou)

红糖馒头

Brown Sugar Mantou (Hóng Táng Mántou) — Chinese Steamed BunsJiangsu home cooking.

Ingredients

• all-purpose flour
• active dry yeast
• unrefined brown sugar
• warm whole milk
• fine sea salt

Instructions

1. Heat milk to 45°C (113°F), stir in brown sugar until fully dissolved. Cool to 35°C (95°F) before adding yeast. (Liquid clear and glossy, no graininess)
2. Mix yeast into cooled milk-sugar liquid. Add 100 g flour and stir into batter. Cover and ferment 1 hour until foamy and risen. (Bubbles break surface continuously, slight dome formed)
3. Add remaining 380 g flour and salt. Knead 12 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky. Transfer to oiled bowl, cover, and rise 80 minutes until doubled. (Dough puffed, surface moist and dimpled)
4. Punch down dough, divide into 12 equal pieces (≈75 g each). Roll each into tight ball using cupped-hand technique. Place on parchment-lined trays. (Round, smooth balls with no seams or cracks)
5. Cover and proof 25 minutes until slightly puffed. Steam over high heat for 14 minutes. Rest covered 5 minutes before opening lid. (Mantou deep amber, glossy, with faint steam halo)