Taro bun is a classic Chinese sweet steamed bread called bao. It’s very similar to custard buns, dou sha bao (豆沙包 buns with sweet red bean filling) and lin jung bao (蓮蓉包 buns with sweet lotus seeds paste filling). This taro bun recipe has a step by step photo and a video to show you how to make this delicious taro buns for breakfast or snack.
Love bread? Check out these Chinese hot dogs, pineapple buns, sugar donuts, cheesy garlic bread sticks, ciabatta, and dinner rolls recipes.
What is taro bun?
Taro bun is a type of Chinese steamed baozi or bao with a sweet filling like custard buns, dou sha bao 豆沙包 (buns with sweet red bean filling) and lian you bao 蓮蓉包 (buns with sweet lotus seeds paste filling). It’s often served as dim sum items like turnip cake, siu mai and lo mai gai for breakfast or snack in Chinese restaurants.
What are the ingredients for taro buns?
In this Chinese steamed taro bun recipe, it has dough and filling ingredients. For the dough ingredients, it’s mainly milk, sugar, yeast, flour and salt.
Taro paste filling ingredients are taro, taro boba powder, coconut milk, sugar, milk and cornstarch. (For details please see this taro paste filling recipe.)
Cooking tips for how to make taro buns:
- Make the taro paste filling beforehand because when it’s refrigerated or cool off the paste filling will thicken. It will be easier to scoop and fold.
- I like to use the instant pot to cook the taro paste because it is faster and easier. However, you can just use the top stove method to boil the taro when you don’t have an instant pot pressure cooker.
- To speed up rising time, normally I preheat an oven for 200F. Then, turn off the oven. Put the dough into the oven and cover with a wet cloth for 20-30 minutes.
- Roughly divide the dough into 10-12 pieces depending on how big the bao you want.
- If you want the bao to look even, it is best to weigh the dough and divide them evenly.
- Roll and flatten a piece of dough by rolling the sides thinner and thicker in the middle.
- Scoop a big tablespoon full of taro paste filling in the flattened dough. Personally, I like more filling for bao. You can adjust the amount of filling to your preference.
- Fold and close the ends of the dough, roll the bun into a ball.
- Put a parchment paper under the bao.
- Let the buns rise for 15 minutes and put them into the bamboo basket.
- When the water is boiling, put them into the steamer and steam it for 15-20 minutes.
FAQs:
It tastes like nutty sweet potato starchy texture. Taro is commonly used in many Asian sweets or savories. A sweet taro paste is often used as a sweet filling for dessert or bread.
For details you can check out this post for how to make taro paste filling.
Yes, you can refrigerate or freeze taro buns after steaming them. It can be refrigerated for a few days. It will last longer when you freeze them.
If it straightens out from the refrigerator, the fastest way to warm up leftover taro bun is to microwave them for a few seconds. On the other hand, if buns are frozen, cover them with a wet paper towel. Then, microwave it for a minute or two depending on your microwave's power. However, personally I still like buns fresh and steamed from a bamboo basket. Normally, I will steam the frozen taro buns for 5-8 minutes.
When you microwave taro buns, the best is to cover it with a wet paper towel. Or, steam them in a bamboo basket.
Instructions for how to make steam taro buns:
Filling:
1. In this taro bun recipe, make the taro paste filling beforehand because when it’s refrigerated or cool off the paste filling will thicken. It will be easier to scoop and fold. Check out this post for how to make taro paste filling for details.
Bread dough:
2. Pour 1 cup of milk into the Bosch mixer. (I use 2 % fat milk at room temperature or warm it in a microwave for 15-30 seconds, to make sure it is not too hot, just a little warm.) Then, add 2 teaspoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of yeast. Mix it a little bit and wait for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, add ⅛ teaspoon of salt and 2 cups of all purpose flour in a bowl and mix it well.
4. After that, turn on the Bosch mixer #1 the lowest setting. Slowly add the flour mixture from step 3 into the mixer until the dough comes together. Then, turn on #3 middle high setting. Let the mixer run for 5 minutes.
5. Next, take the dough out, put it in the bowl and cover the dough with a wet cloth. Let it rise around 45-60 minutes at room temperature. (My trick to speed up dough rising time is to preheat the oven at 200F then turn off. After that, put the dough in the oven and cover with a wet cloth for 20-30 minutes.)
6. While waiting for the dough to rise, cut a parchment paper into 12 pieces square or rectangle shape.
7. After the dough rises it doubles.
8. Roughly divide the dough into 10-12 pieces. ( I did 12 pieces.)
9. Roll the dough and flatten it by using a rolling pin. (The sides are thinner, the middle is thicker.)
Combine:
10. Scoop 1-2 tablespoons of taro paste filling and place the filling in the middle of the flattened bread dough. (Personally, I like more filling for bao. You can adjust the amount of filling to your preference.)
11. Close it and roll it like a ball. After that, place the bun on the parchment paper. (See video below the recipe card for details.)
12. Put the taro buns into the bamboo steamer and cover it with a damp cloth. Let it rise for 15 minutes.
13. Pour some water into a pot and place a rack in the middle. Turn on the fire high, heat up the water until it's boiling. Then, put the bamboo steamer with taro buns and steam it for 15-20 minutes.
Enjoy this delicious sweet steamed Chinese taro buns recipe! Also, check out these taro ice cream, taro boba drink, mouth watering chicken, hot chocolate balls, Thai chicken pizza and congee recipes.
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Taro Bun
Video
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients:
- 1 cup Milk (I use 2% fat)
- 2 teaspoons Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Active dry yeast
- 2 cups All Purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
Taro Paste Filling Ingredients:
- 1.5 pounds Taro (After peeling off skin)
- 1 cup and 2 tablespoons Sugar
- ¼ cup Taro boba powder
- ½ cup Coconut milk
- ¼ cup Milk (I use 2% fat)
- 4 tablespoons Cornstarch
Instructions
- In this taro bun recipe, make the taro paste filling beforehand because when it’s refrigerated or cool off the paste filling will thicken. It will be easier to scoop and fold. Check out this post for how to make taro paste filling for details.
- Pour 1 cup of milk into the Bosch mixer. (I use 2 % fat milk at room temperature or warm it in a microwave for 15-30 seconds, to make sure it is not too hot, just a little warm.) Then, add 2 teaspoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of yeast. Mix it a little bit and wait for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add ⅛ teaspoon of salt and 2 cups of all purpose flour in a bowl and mix it well.
- After that, turn on the Bosch mixer #1 the lowest setting. Slowly add the flour mixture from step 3 into the mixer until the dough comes together. Then, turn on #3 middle high setting. Let the mixer run for 5 minutes.
- Next, take the dough out, put it in the bowl and cover the dough with a wet cloth. Let it rise around 45-60 minutes at room temperature. (My trick to speed up dough rising time is to preheat the oven at 200F then turn off. After that, put the dough in the oven and cover with a wet cloth for 20-30 minutes.)
- While waiting for the dough to rise, cut a parchment paper into 12 pieces square or rectangle shape.
- After the dough rises it doubles.
- Roughly divide the dough into 10-12 pieces. ( I did 12 pieces.)
- Roll the dough and flatten it by using a rolling pin. (The sides are thinner, the middle is thicker.)
- Scoop 1-2 tablespoons of taro paste filling and place the filling in the middle of the flattened bread dough. (Personally, I like more filling for bao. You can adjust the amount of filling to your preference.)
- Close it and roll it like a ball. After that, place the bun on the parchment paper. (See video below the recipe card for details.)
- Put the taro buns into the bamboo steamer and cover it with a damp cloth. Let it rise for 15 minutes.
- Pour some water into a pot and place a rack in the middle. Turn on the fire high, heat up the water until it's boiling. Then, put the bamboo steamer with taro buns and steam it for 15-20 minutes.
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make taro buns:
- Make the taro paste filling beforehand because when it’s refrigerated or cool off the paste filling will thicken. It will be easier to scoop and fold.
- I like to use the instant pot to cook the taro paste because it is faster and easier. However, you can just use the top stove method to boil the taro when you don’t have an instant pot pressure cooker.
- To speed up rising time, normally I preheat an oven for 200F. Then, turn off the oven. Put the dough into the oven and cover with a wet cloth for 20-30 minutes.
- Roughly divide the dough into 10-12 pieces depending on how big the bao you want.
- If you want the bao to look even, it is best to weigh the dough and divide them evenly.
- Roll and flatten a piece of dough by rolling the sides thinner and thicker in the middle.
- Scoop a big tablespoon full of taro paste filling in the flattened dough. Personally, I like more filling for bao. You can adjust the amount of filling to your preference.
- Fold and close the ends of the dough, roll the bun into a ball.
- Put a parchment paper under the bao.
- Let the buns rise for 15 minutes and put them into the bamboo basket.
- When the water is boiling, put them into the steamer and steam it for 15-20 minutes.
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