Super Soft Pau

As the pau episodes continue, new ways to improve and better the texture have been tried, although this recipe is good enough, there is still room for improvement. 

Lena wrote to me and told me that her friend has used the Tangzhong Starter instead of making a sponge starter. 

I was very excited about this idea and went to make a batch of paus.  It is exceptionaly easy as this time, since the tangzhong starter has been used for bread, i am going to treat my pau as bread and used the breadmachine to knead the pau dough - Set it and forget it - until it beeps. 

You can used whatever filling you like and pleat the paus to however you wish or comfortable with. This videos are worth watching Pau Pleating ,Pau Pleating II, Pau Pleating III and Pau Pleating IV

Ingredients:

For the Tangzhong starter:

2 1/2 tbsp/25 g pau flour
125 ml water

For the pau


All the Tangzhong starter
240 ml water(do not use all, leave 2 tbsp for adjustment - you might have to use more than this amount)
5 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp shortening
1 ¼ tsp double action baking powder
3 1/2 cups/480 - 500 gms pau flour
1 ½ tsp instant yeast.



FILLING:

Your Choice


Method:

For the Tangzhong Starter:

Measure 125 ml tap water in a glass measuring pyrex jug and whisk in 2 1/2 tbsp pau flour until there is no lumps.

Microwave on high for 30 seconds ( 20 seconds - if you are having a higher wattage microwave).  Stir well and  continue to microwave on high for another 30 seconds - stirring after every 10 seconds to get the roux to a temperature of about 65 c/150f.
For pau:

Put all the ingredients into the breadmachine bowl starting with the list above accordingly, starting with the starter and ending with the yeast on top of the flour. 
Choose the dough function on the bread machine and press start.

In the initial stage of kneading, check if the dough is binding, add the remaining 2 tbsps of water or add more if necessary.  Do not add too much as if the dough is too soft, the pau will not have a nice shape.

Prepare the filling while the breadmachine is having all the fun.

When the fun is over in about 1 1/2 hour, the breadmachine will beep and you can start shaping the paus.

Cut into equal portions and roll all the portions into a very thin circle before wrapping in filling.

Wrap the first circle and so forth.

Let it rise for 20 minutes.

Heat up the steamer and when water is rolling hot, steam small buns for 7 - 8 minutes and big ones for 12 - 15 minutes.