Steamed Chinese Buns with Peking Duck

Cook Time 3 hours

Servings 10 - 12

Ingredients

250 lukewarm milk

1 sachet (7g) instant yeast

310g self-raising flour

100g caster sugar

75g cornflour

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp vegetable oil

½ tsp bicarbonate soda

Garnish

Ready roasted half style duck

1 Lebanese cucumber

½ bunch of spring onion, white part julienned

¾ cup hoisin sauce

Method

In a large non-reactive bowl add the milk, yeast, 5 tablespoons of the flour and a teaspoon of the sugar. Mix to dissolve the yeast, cover with a tea towel and let rest in a warm section of the kitchen for 30 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.

Place the mixture into a stand mixer bowl with a dough hook attached. Add the rest of the flour, cornflour, sugar, salt and oil and mix until a sticky dough has formed.

Cover the bowl again with a tea towel and rest in a warm spot for 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size. Add the bicarbonate soda and knead again to combine.

Cut the dough into 12 even pieces and flatten with your palm. Use a rolling pin to form a 15cm oval and then fold over to form buns. Cut out 12 squares of baking paper and place each bun on the individual squares, then on to a tray and cover with a tea towel to rise again for 30 minutes.

While resting, prepare the garnish and pre-heat oven to 200°C.

Remove duck from the pack and place on a lined baking tray or dish, skin side up. Bake for around 15-20 minutes until warmed through. Rest for 5 minutes before portioning and cutting into small medallions.

Set a large steamer basket over a pot of simmering water. Add the buns, ensuring they are not overlapping (you may need to do this in batches) and steam for 20-25 minutes.

While still hot open the bun and add the duck, cucumber, shallots and hoisin sauce.