Choco-Pao (Chocolate Steamed Buns)

Chocolate Steamed Buns (Choco-Pao Recipe)

My Love for Straightforward Flavours

Have you ever had a food that you swore you didn’t like, but one day, out of nowhere, you suddenly craved it and swore it was your favourite dish in the entire world? This is me with siopao. I think the summer of my sophomore year in high school was very pivotal for me because it was the year I stopped being a picky eater. The weird thing was that I was in a calorie deficit back then, but I just knew that I wanted to eat siopao – specifically bola-bola. As always, I asked my mom if she could buy it for me from Goldilocks, a famous bakery in the Philippines.

As I was eating it, I realized what I loved most about it – the fluffy, soft buns that contain the bola-bola filling. I have always been a fan of straightforward flavours, and for me, this is exactly what they represent. They are simply a medium that supports the main character, which is the filling. Sometimes, they can also stand alone, but most of the time, they are the best pairing for foods that are rich in flavour because they help balance everything out. So, it is no surprise that there’s a sweet version! Most recently, something that has been taking the Philippines by nostalgic storm is the choco-pao from Chowking, a fast-food chain in the Philippines that serves Chinese-Filipino cuisine.

Admittedly, I actually forgot about my love for siopao because being in a different country means you tend to shift your focus to things that are available to you. I just couldn’t find that taste that I loved so much, so, as always, I didn’t want to miss out and wanted to recreate the choco-pao that everyone is raving about. For me, this is just a simple way to feel close to home. It’s my first time trying a choco-pao, and even though it cannot compete with my love for siopao, this is definitely a dish that I can appreciate on its own. The rich filling just made me fall even harder for those delicious, soft buns because they pair so well together.

Simple and decadent flavours will always be a goated pairing. This is a simple recipe that will satisfy your sweet tooth without making you feel bad. It’s something I recommend making on days when you want a light but satisfying snack.

Breaking Down the Recipe:

What are chocolate steamed buns?

If you have eaten at a Chinese restaurant or even visited an Asian grocery store, you will notice that there are a lot of white, fluffy buns being sold with different fillings. Most popularly, they are filled with pork BBQ or char siu. These buns are just like those, but with rich chocolate inside.

Steamed buns, or bao/baozi, are very versatile because they can be savoury, sweet, or even enjoyed on their own. Historically, some sweet variations include red bean (which is very popular in many Asian desserts) and custard. In the Philippines, you will notice that a lot of our cuisine is heavily influenced by Chinese dishes. We have a dish that is very similar to baozi, but we call it siopao – which is why we call these chocolate steamed baos choco-pao (yes, we are very witty with our names too, lol). They are fluffy and soft, and the dough itself has a very subtle taste, which is why I think it makes the perfect base for different fillings.

Unlike other breads that are normally baked, this particular dish is cooked through steaming, similar to dim sum! Steaming gives it a cloud-like texture, keeping the buns soft all around, unlike the crust you usually get when you bake something. The fun thing about this recipe is that you can play around with different fillings, so you get to be the master of your own siopao/baozi!

What is Chocolate Ganache?

Chocolate ganache is a preparation technique used to create a component for baking. The cool thing about this is that you only need two ingredients – chocolate and heavy cream – and it is one of the easiest things to prepare if you want to incorporate chocolate into your dish. All you need to do is melt your chocolate and gradually add in your heavy cream. This will allow your mixture to thicken, so you can use it as a frosting, glaze, or, in this case, filling. Depending on how you want to use it, you will need to adjust the ratio of chocolate to cream. Keep in mind that the more cream you add, the thinner your ganache will be, while more chocolate means a thicker ganache!

Normally, with ganache, the number one problem is when it breaks and curdles. I used to panic when this happened, but one easy trick is to whisk in a little milk to help thin it out and break down those clumps. Little tricks like this can be very helpful because chocolate can be expensive, so this is a reminder not to panic! There are plenty of tricks on the internet that can help you fix your problem *wink*.

For chocolate, particularly for a filling, I would suggest a combination of dark and milk chocolate. For this recipe, I used 60% dark chocolate and 40% milk chocolate. If you’re not a fan of the bitter notes of dark chocolate, this combination is surprisingly not too bitter. The sweetness from the milk chocolate still shines through, making it every Asian’s dream: a.k.a. not too sweet.

Lastly, a little pinch of salt is always a good idea when it comes to any dessert. It won’t affect the sweetness (unless you add a ton of it), but it will help balance everything out!

Instructions:

*Detailed instructions and tips available in the recipe card below.

Chocolate Ganache: In a saucepan, pour in the water and heat over medium heat.

Once the water starts to simmer gently, place a bowl over the saucepan and add your chopped chocolate. This is what we call a double boiler.

Stir the chocolate until it is fully melted, then turn off the heat and gradually add your heavy cream and salt.

Let it chill for 3-4 hours, or until it is firm enough to shape into eight small balls (33 grams each). Place them back in the fridge while we make the dough.

Dough: In another bowl, combine your flour, sugar, instant yeast, salt, and baking powder.

Gradually pour in your water while mixing it in with a chopstick!

Once you have a lumpy dough, transfer it to a clean surface and carefully spread the softened butter over it.

Knead your dough until it is smooth. If it becomes too sticky, you can sprinkle a little more all-purpose flour, but do this sparingly, as you don’t want to dry out your dough!

Once your dough is smooth, divide it into eight small balls (60 grams each).

Shape each piece of dough into a circle and flatten it slightly with your palm.

Roll it out even further with a rolling pin, making sure it is not too thin. It should only be slightly bigger than a coaster.

Place your chocolate ganache in the middle, then carefully pull the sides toward the centre.

Pinch the dough to seal it, then carefully roll it on a flat surface while cupping it with your hand to secure the chocolate inside.

Place each bun on a small piece of parchment paper, then repeat with the remaining dough and chocolate ganache.

Brush some water over the tops and let the buns rest for 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes in a warm environment.

Cooking Your Chocolate Buns: Fill your pan with water and heat it over medium heat.

Place your baos in a steamer. You can cook four at a time.

Cover the lid of your steamer with a clean cloth before placing it over the buns.

Place the steamer over the pan of water and cook your baos for 10 minutes over medium heat. Once they are done cooking, remove the pan from the heat, BUT do not remove the lid just yet. Let the buns rest for another five minutes.

After five minutes, remove the lid and enjoy your chocolate steamed buns (baos) as a midday snack (merienda) or dessert!

Fun fact: The Philippines is actually home to the oldest Chinatown in the world, located in Binondo, Manila. It was established in 1594 by Spanish Governor Luis Pérez Dasmariñas as a settlement for Chinese migrants and merchants in the Philippines.

Equipment:

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