Chocolate Spiral Mantou - Sponge Dough Method LTU #11

 

I used to not like mantou as I find nothing fanciful on this plain kosong bao without any filling, not attractive at all! However I am not sure is it start aging or my taste bud change or I ate a good mantou that changed my perception, I started to appreciate mantou and start liking it. And on top of that, dear son and daughter likes mantou too. Especially dear son, he is one that like to eat bao skin but will discard the filling hahahah... So thinking why not I make mantou myself for them.

I started with chocolate mantou since that is my children's favourite. You may refer to Vivian's blog for step by step pix.

Recipe adapted from Vivian's Pang Kitchen

Ingredients: yields about 50g x 16 pieces

(A) Starter dough

100ml lukewarm water
2½ tsp yeast
1 tbsp sugar
130g plain flour
 
(B) Main dough
350g plain flour
55g castor sugar
55g brown sugar
½ tsp salt

(C)

150ml water
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp vinegar
* mix just about to use

(D) Chocolate paste

1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp warm water
 
*mix into paste and set aside

Methods:

Starter Dough
Mix all till form dough. Keep aside for 10 minutes.

Mantou dough

1. Put flour, sugar and salt into the starter dough bowl. Slowly add in the (C) mixture. Knead till all the ingredients well incorporate and become pliable dough.

2. Divide the dough into 2 portions. Add the chocolate paste into one of the portion and knead till well combine. This will be the chocolate dough.

3. Keep plain and chocolate dough separately. Cover both dough and rest for 1 hour 30 minutes.

4. Transfer the dough to working surface. Slightly knead to remove air bubbles.

5. For one layer mantou, divide plain and chocolate dough into half and shape into balls. Keep aside for 10 minutes.  Roll the balls into rectangle shape. Brush the chocolate dough surface with some water and stack the plain dough on top. Gently roll into swiss roll shape.  

6. For double layers, divide the other half into 2 portions(1/4 portion). Shape into balls and keep aside for 10 minutes.  Repeat the process of rolling and stacking but this time double layers. Gently roll into swiss roll shape.

7. With a sharp knife cut the rolls into 8 portions (about 50g each). Place the mantou on greased paper and rest in steamer for about 15 minutes.

8. Start steaming from cold water with medium heat. Once the water boiled, steam further 8 minutes.

9. Once the steaming time is over, off the heat. Leave the mantou inside the steamer for 1 minute before open the lid.

Verdict?
The mantou although is soft but not those fluffy type, a bit chewy. I dun really think is very nice compared to the store-bought when 1st bite into it. However after chewing and chewing, I started to think actually quite nice to eat. Then when I steamed it for my next day breakfast, the mantou tasted nicer and I just ate one after another unconsciously, I started to like it so much more than 1st eating it. Definitely gonna try making this again.

 This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up ~ August 2015

Event Theme : Brown Sugar and Molassses

organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY 

and hosted by Jess of Bakericious

I'm submitting this post to the Best Recipes for Everyone ~ August 2015 

Event Theme : Dim Sum

 organized by Fion of XuanHom's Mom and co-hosted by May of 厨苑食