Saw this recipe on Youtube a few weeks back. Everything was in Chinese, but the ingredients and the concept shown was enough for me to imagine how tasty these buns might be.
As always I modified the recipe for the breadmaker using more precise measurements for certain ingredients, and also used honey instead of sugar. Pisang mas remains my go-to banana variety for their natural sweetness and richness in flavor, so do use those if available.
Soft and springy and mildly sweet, these are great as an afternoon snack, either plain or drizzled with honey or melted chocolate. Yum!
Steamed Banana Buns
Ingredients
- 80 grams golden raisins
- 200 grams ripe bananas (pisang mas recommended), sliced
- 3 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk for glaze
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 85 grams (1/4 cup) honey
- 400 grams bread flour
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Directions
Plump the raisins. In a small bowl or mug, add the raisins and add enough hot water to cover.
In a large bowl, add the bananas, eggs, yeast and honey.
Using a potato masher or a stick blender, mash the ingredients into a smooth puree. Add the banana mixture to your breadpan.
Add the flour.
Drain the raisins and pat dry using paper towels. Load the raisins into the automatic dispenser, if available.
Transfer the breadpan to your machine, and start the Dough program. On the Kenwood BM450 this will take 1 hour 30 minutes.
About 5 to 10 minutes into the kneading cycle, add the oil.
If not using an automatic dispenser, add the raisins when your machine beeps or per the manufacturer’s instructions.
When the Dough cycle is complete, punch down the dough and transfer to a well dusted surface. The dough would be sticky yet elastic, so keep your hands and pastry scraper and work surface well dusted for easier handling.
Lightly grease 8 rice bowls with cooking oil.
Divide the dough into 8 equal-sized pieces.
Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the dough into a thin rope.
Roll the rope into a coil. Flatten the outer end…
…and tuck it under the roll.
Transfer the rolls into the prepared ricebowls.
Cover and let rest, 30 minutes.
Glaze with the beaten egg yolk.
Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.
Steam the buns over high heat, 30 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let rest undisturbed, 5 minutes.
Using oven mitts or thick kitchen towels to protect your hands, gently prise the buns from their bowls and let cool on a wire rack. Do this immediately after taking them out of the steamer, to prevent them from getting soggy.
Serve warm. Enjoy!