Christmas Tree Shaped Steamed Buns with Char Siu Pork

Festive, fluffy steamed buns shaped like Christmas trees, filled with a delicious sweet and savory char siu pork. A fun and unique holiday treat!

Prep Time

45 minutes

Total Time

1 hour 15 minutes

Calories

3500

Level

Medium

Yields

8 servings

Cost

£0.66

Season:

Meal Type:

Cuisine:

Main Ingredient:

Ingredients

Servings

300gAll-Purpose Flour

£0.25

1tspInstant Dry Yeast

£0.10

1tspBaking Powder

£0.05

30gSugar

£0.05

150mlWarm Water((105-115°F))

1tbspVegetable Oil

£0.03

300gChar Siu Pork(Finely diced or shredded)

£4.50

1tbspOyster Sauce

£0.15

1tspSoy Sauce

£0.02

1tspSesame Oil

£0.10

1tspCornstarch

£0.03

1tbspWater(For cornstarch slurry)

FewdropsGreen Food Coloring(Optional, for green colored dough)

£0.01

FewdropsRed Food Coloring(Optional, for red sprinkles)

£0.01

Total Cost

£5.30

£0.66 per serving

The Method

1
**Prepare the Dough:** In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water and sugar. Stir in yeast and let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
2
Add flour, baking powder, and vegetable oil to the yeast mixture. If using, add green food coloring. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
3
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If too dry, add water 1 teaspoon at a time.
4
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
5
**Prepare the Char Siu Filling:** In a bowl, combine diced or shredded char siu pork, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
6
In a separate small bowl, mix cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Heat the char siu mixture in a pan over medium heat. Add the cornstarch slurry and stir until the filling thickens. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
7
**Assemble the Buns:** Punch down the risen dough to release air. Roll out the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness.
8
Use a Christmas tree cookie cutter to cut out shapes from the dough. If you don't have a cutter, you can manually create a tree shape.
9
Place a spoonful of char siu filling in the center of each dough shape.
10
Fold the dough over the filling, pinching the edges to seal completely. Shape the filled dough into a more defined Christmas tree if needed.
11
**Steam the Buns:** Place each bun on a small square of parchment paper to prevent sticking.
12
Arrange the buns in a steamer basket, leaving space between them for expansion. Bring water to a boil in the steamer and then reduce heat to medium.
13
Steam the buns for 15-20 minutes, or until they are puffed up and cooked through. If using, add a few red sprinkles immediately after removing the buns.
14
Remove the buns from the steamer and let them cool slightly before serving. Be careful when opening the steamer to avoid being burned by the steam.

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My Notes

Nutrition Information

Nutrition per serving (138g)

3500 kcal / 14644 kJ

Carbs

400g

154% of RDA

Fat

150g

214% of RDA

Protein

150g

300% of RDA

Detailed Breakdown

Fibre

15 g

50% of RDA

Sugar

70 g

78% of RDA

Sodium

3000 mg

130% of RDA

Saturated Fat

50 g

250% of RDA

Chef's Tips

To prevent the buns from becoming soggy, don't overcrowd the steamer basket.

You can use store-bought char siu pork or make your own. For a vegetarian option, replace the char siu pork with a mushroom-based filling.

For a smoother dough, use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour.

Ensure the water is boiling rapidly before placing the steamer basket. This ensures the buns steam quickly and properly.

To get a shiny finish on the buns, you can brush them with a little milk or egg wash before steaming.

Cooking Equipment

Steamer

Mixing bowls

Rolling pin

Parchment paper

Cookie cutters (Christmas tree)

Wine Pairings

No wine pairing suggestions available for this recipe.

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