Steamed Buns (Part I)

Steamed Buns Attempt #1 – FAILED 😦

Inspired by this recipe request (recipe wanted: pork belly buns aka taiwanese hamburger) I wanted to try my hand at making my own pork belly buns. While browsing online for the perfect recipe, I found that most people recommend you use store-bought buns – no way I was going to let that happen! So the first step in this process was to make my own steamed buns.  Before I continue, I should probably point out that this was my very first venture into baking bread (from scratch, that is; instant biscuits don’t count!), so I may have made a lot of amateur errors along the way. But bear with me, for in due time I shall learn!

Normally, I would post the recipe and the steps I took so that someone could help me identify what went wrong, but this time the error was just too large. It wasn’t about how long I let the yeast sit or how long I let the bread rise or what temperature the oven was set at – it was a problem with the pure basics. And now an important lesson: if it’s your first time baking, follow the recipes – use the right ingredients, take the right measurements, follow the steps. At least once. Until you know what you’re doing.

And now for the big unveil: what went wrong? Well for starters, if a recipe calls for all purpose flour or bread flour or cake flour, use it. Don’t use…rice flour.

What a crumbly mess…

Look at those cracks! By this point, I had long since realized I was using the wrong flour and that rice flour was not, in fact, an ingenious way to spice up the recipe. But I still wanted to see what would happen…

(After steaming) I actually don’t think they came out quite as bad as I thought they would. But they were extremely hard. Texture left much to be desired.

Oh well, lesson learned! Until next time…

UPDATE: There actually was a next time. I made 2 more batches of the steamed buns following this colossal disaster. Stories (and recipes) to be posted soon!