Steamed Chinese Sausage Buns (Lap Cheong Bao 臘腸包)

Make the dough:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together bao flour (包粉) and baking powder.
2. In a separate bowl, combine warm water, sugar and active dry yeast. Give it a stir and let it become bubbly.
3. Add the activated yeast mixture into the flour mixture, add in the oil and knead until the dough becomes smooth and shiny.
4. Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
5. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions, about 35-36g each.
6. Roll each portion of dough into a thin log, about 7-8" in length.
7. Take one sausage (lap cheong 臘腸) and working from one end, coil the dough around it, tucking in the ends.
8. Place the sausage bun onto a small piece of parchment paper.
9. Transfer bun onto a bamboo steamer (or metal steaming rack).
10. Repeat with the remainder.
11. Tip: Ensure the buns are evenly spaced out for dough expansion.
12. Cover the buns with a lid and leave in a warm location until slightly puffy, about 20 minutes.

Steam the buns:

1. Fill a large pot of wok with warm water.
2. Place the steamer with the buns over the water.
3. Turn on the steamer to high heat.
4. Once steam begins to escape from the top of the lid, reduce the heat to medium and steam for 15 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat, but leave the steamer on the heat for 5 minutes.
6. Slightly open the lid about 1 inch to let the steam escape.
7. Tip: Do not remove the lid until all the steam has evaporated.
8. Once the steam has evaporated, remove the steamer from the heat and open the lid.