BUNS

Buns image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Yield Makes 30

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 1/2 tablespoons pork fat or lard, melted
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sugar
Grapeseed oil

Steps:

In a glass measuring cup, mix together yeast, water, and pork fat until yeast is dissolved. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix together both flours, salt, and sugar until well combined. Add yeast mixture and mix until dough comes together. Once it comes together, knead for 8 minutes.
Coat a large bowl with grapeseed oil; add dough and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Punch down dough. Roll dough into a log about 30 inches long. Cut dough into 30 golf ball-sized pieces. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap; let rise 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut out 30 square pieces of parchment paper (4 inches each).
Working with one piece of dough at a time, press dough flat and, using a rolling pin, roll dough toward you into a 6-by-3-inch oval. Repeat process with remaining dough. Brush each piece of dough lightly with grapeseed oil and fold in half using a chopstick. Place each piece of dough on an individual piece of parchment paper. Cover loosely with a towel and let rise slightly, about 30 minutes.
Set a large bamboo steamer in a large skillet or wok filled with water about 1/2 inch up the sides of the steamer basket; bring to a boil. Working with 5 to 7 buns at a time, place buns on their parchment paper in the steamer basket; cover and steam over high heat until puffed and cooked though, about 10 minutes.