Bakpao (Protein Packed Chocolate Buns)

Another day another steamed buns in this house. We do like steamed buns much, that our cheeks are fluffy like steamed buns as well 😂

Steamed buns are easy to make, you can make tons of variations from one basic recipe, they freeze well, and you can always warm them in microwave. So handy to have for anytime.

My 4 yo asked for csoki (chocolate) buns. Usually I would just use chocolate chips, or chocolate nut spread (Notella – vegan Nutella), but this time I wanted to add protein to the filling, instead just sweets. So yeah, the sweet steamed buns this time is protein packed 😊

I shaped the buns into porcupine and my son was scared to touch in the beginning as his older brother teased him, telling him he’d hurt himself with the porcupine sharp spines 😌

My following recipe for the filling is enough to make 6 porcupine and I still had a lot of dough left, so I filled the rest with PB2 and chocolate chips, and shaped then into flower buns.

(PB2 is fatless peanut powder)

Dough

In a bowl, mix and let bloom:

1 1/4 c almond milk, unsweetened, lukewarm

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp active dry yeast

On a separate bowl, mix:

3 c flour

2 tbsp icing sugar

Once yeast is bloomed, pour into flour mixture, stir with wooden spoon, then add in:

1 tbsp black sesame seeds powder

Knead and cover with cling wrap. Let stand in warm area for 20 mins. Meanwhile, make the filling.

Filling

In a bowl, soak 2 tbsp TVP with 4 tbsp hot boiling water

On a separate bowl, microwave 1/2 c DF chocolate chips in 30 secs intervals

Mix melted chocolate with soaked TVP, 1 tbsp hemp seeds, 2 tbsp icing sugar, 2 tbsp almond meal

Porcupine Buns

Punch down dough, weigh @35 g each. Flatten and fill. Shape into oval

With scissor cut all over buns to give porcupine hair texture

Leave to rise again for 20 mins

Flower Buns

With left over dough, weigh @35 g each, flatten, place 1 tsp PB2 and 1 tbsp DF Choc chips

Gathering each side to the center, shaping into a flower

Let rise for 20 mins

Steam buns on preheated steamer for 10 mins

With edible marker, give two eyes on each porcupine.

Note: This was experimental take on sweetened TVP. I know it’s normally for dishes, but hey, if I can turn it into dessert-like as well, why not, right? 😂