STEAMED PAUS-WHEAT BRAN PAUS [PEANUT FILLING]

I have started to use my hands to knead the pau dough since my electric Kenwood Mixer is not functioning too well after 30 years. It is still working but the result is not too good when I knead the dough. Hand kneading the pau dough in small quantity is not that difficult. In fact, I find it is faster to hand knead and there is this 'hands on' feel to know if the dough is too dry, not pliable etc.

So far, I am very satisfied with the result of all my hand knead pau doughs. The paus turned out soft, fluffy and chewy. They are good. 

I have started to omit the use of baking powder for the skin dough and also reducing the amount of shortening. In fact, some recipes do not use baking powder and shortening. The paus are soft and chewy, too.

Ingredients Pau Skin Dough

[makes about 8-10 paus]

250 gm pau flour

1 tbsp wheat bran [optional]

1 tsp [about 3 gm] instant yeast

10 gm sugar

150 ml lukewarm water

20-30 ml water [to add gradually if dough is too dry]

1 tsp shortening [optional]

Pau Filling - Mixed together

200 gm ground roasted peanuts

50-60 gm castor sugar or coarse sugar

2 tbsp toasted sesame seed - pounded

1/4 tsp fine salt

2 tbsp peanut oil or corn oil

               

Peanut Sesame Seed Pau Filling

1. Combined pau flour and sugar in a large bowl.  Make a well in the centre, add in yeast and <150 ml water.  Mix well, stir until dissolved and leave for 1-2 minutes or so.  
2. Then gather together all the flour and add in the remaining water, mix into a rough dough which a combination of motion [knead, rub, push and pull back].  As you knead rotate along one direction at 90 degrees.  Add some extra water if dough is too dry.  The dough may not be smooth now.  Shape into a ball, cover with a bowl and left to rest for 5-10 minutes.
3. Then knead dough again for another 5-10 minutes until soft, smooth and pliable. Shape into a ball.  Place in the mixing bowl, cover to rest for 20 minutes or until double in size.
4. Punch down dough, then roll into round.  Divide into 10 equal portions and roll into balls.  Flatten each one in circle. Flatten the edges,  the centre is thicker than the edges. 
5. Place filling [about a tablespoon] in the centre, gather the edges together to seal to make a round pau or pleat the edges into a pau shape.
6. Place shaped pau on parchment paper and steaming tray.  Finish doing the rest. Cover to prove for about 20-30 minutes or until double in size.
7. Place steaming tray in the steamer over rapidly boiling.  Cover to steam for 10-12 minutes.  Off heat, leave in steamer and remove paus only after 2-3 minutes.
8. Cool on wire rack or serve immediately.