Why does nobody talk about how you can mess up a simple bao dough?

I was trying to make char siu bao at home for a year, and the dough always came out dense. Last week, I watched a street vendor in Guangzhou on a food show. He said the water for the yeast has to be exactly 105 degrees, not just warm. I had been guessing with my finger the whole time. My first batch after using a thermometer was a total game changer. Has anyone else had a kitchen fail that turned out to be one tiny step?

2 comments

2 Comments

oliver_mitchell9d ago

Guessing with your finger, that was my whole bread making life too. I once made hockey pucks I called bagels because I thought "steaming" meant a quick wave over a boiling pot. Turns out you need actual steam for more than two seconds, who knew? It's wild how the smallest wrong idea can wreck something for so long.

henry5978d agoMost Upvoted

Read a whole article about how over-kneading bao dough makes it tough because you burst all the little air bubbles. I was always told more kneading is better, so I'd go at it forever. Turns out you just need it smooth, not like a workout. My buns were like eating a cloud once I stopped doing that. It's crazy how one wrong tip can stick with you for years.