Light and Tender Chinese Lotus Seed Buns Recipe

Directions

Rinse lotus seeds and soak in a large bowl of water until softened, at least 4 hours or overnight. Tear each seed in half and remove the small bitter sprout in the center. Place lotus seeds in a large pot and add enough water to completely cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat and simmer, adding more water if necessary to keep seeds covered, until tender, about 1 hour. Reserve 1 cup of lotus-seed cooking water, then drain seeds. Transfer seeds to a food processor or blender, add a splash of reserved lotus-seed cooking water, and process to a smooth paste, adding more reserved cooking water if necessary. For a finer texture, pass lotus-seed paste through a fine sieve, though this step is optional. Add lotus-seed paste and oil to a nonstick skillet and heat over medium heat, stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon until oil is incorporated. Add 1/2 cup sugar and stir until incorporated. Taste, and if you want the paste more sweet, add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired sweetness. Remove from heat and set aside. The lotus-seed paste can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 6 months.

In a large bowl, mix low-protein flour or all-purpose flour mixture with sugar, yeast, baking powder, and glutinous rice flour. Add water and stir until incorporated. Add cream and mix well until a loose, shaggy dough forms. Transfer dough to a work surface and knead until dough is smooth. Roll dough into a 1-inch-thick rope. Cut into 10 portions. Working 1 piece at a time, roll out dough pieces using a rolling pin, dowel, or glass bottle, to 3 -inch rounds. Set 1 scant tablespoon of lotus-seed paste in the middle of each dough round. Working 1 bun at a time, wrap dough around filling to fully enclose it. Set buns seam-side down on a lightly floured or parchment-lined plate or baking sheet. Pressing gently with a dough scraper or the back of a knife, create an indent on the top side of each bun. Cover buns with plastic wrap and let stand for 20 minutes. Line a steamer insert with parchment paper and set up for steaming. If using food coloring, brush top of each bun with food coloring using a pastry brush. Set buns in the prepared steamer, spacing them 1 1/2 inches apart. Steam buns until puffed and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.