LONGEVITY PEACH BUNS [寿桃包]

New batches of Siew Toh made with the green leaves 

Have been making paus and mi koo like an expert but never tried making peach longevity paus.  This is my maiden attempt in making these Chinese style birthday paus after I bought a new recipe book on paus.

The whole book is on paus and it is this recipe that prompted me to buy.  After reading through, I realised that most recipes needed to be modified a little to suit our taste and preference especially the sugar content. 

Whatever it is, it's still worthwhile to make your own longevity paus cos' the price of it keeps going up.  Made these for my MIL's for Winter Solstice celebration.

Verdict - soft and moist.  Most store bought ones could be quite dry and crumbly.  You can use any filling of your choice like peanuts, lotus paste or red bean paste with 40 gm dried longan [this needs to be soaked, drained and chopped according to original recipe]. I may try this one next time.

Ingredients for Filling

200 gm red bean paste [I used savoury sweet lotus paste with some toasted melon seeds]

- divide into 20 portions and shape into rounds

Recipe Source - Y3K Cookbook 'Paus' by Coco Kong [modified]
Ingredients for Skin Dough

[dough weighs about 600 gm - makes 20 paus]

300 gm pau flour

80 gm wheat flour

1 tsp double action baking powder

40 gm icing sugar [original recipe uses 80 gm]

2 tsp instant yeast

150 ml water [maybe slightly more if dough is too dry]

35 gm shortening

a little pink colouring for sprinkling

a clean toothbrush

Ingredients for Making The Dough Leaves [I omit]

50 gm pau flour

28 ml water

a little green colouring]

• Combine the ingredients in a big bowl.  Knead for 2 minutes until shiny.  Flatten and divide into 40 parts [2 parts per pau].  Use a teaspoon to shape out leaves and a knife to draw out the lines of the vein.  Set them aside.
  
  
  

1. For the Skin - Mix all the ingredients together until well combined [except the shortening].
2. Add in shortening and continue to knead until soft,smooth and shiny.  Shape into a ball, cover to proof for an hour.
3. Divide dough into 20 equal portions.  Shape into rounds.  Flatten each rounds and place a piece of filling on top.  Gather the edges, seal well and press the top slightly point, press the side with the edge of a spoon to form a dent to look like a peach.
4. Place on paper case, repeat the same for the rest.
5. Cover to proof for 30 minutes.
6. Steam over rapid boiling water then over medium heat for 10 minutes.
7. Remove from steamer.  Dip toothbrush into pink colouring and run finger along brush creating a spray of colour on the paus.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Notes:  If using the leaves, dab with a little water and stick them on the pau before placing on the paper cases.
Lost some of the photos which I took after steaming and spraying the pink colouring. The ones with the colouring were taken after reheating at my MIL's place.  Doesn't look as good as actual.  Will update with some photos next time I made these again.

Post Updated on 28 February 2015 - made another batch of this Siew Toh during CNY,  the buns turned out perfect.  This time I used Longan Lotus Paste [store-bought] as filling.  They are awesome.

Gadgets used to shape the leaves

I'm submitting this post to Cook Your Books Event #19 hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours

Updates on photos of Siew Toh made on 7 February 2017.  The leaves are painted on the bao skin different from the above.  Looks lovely too and less tedious than using flour dough.