Crispy Shao Bing (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

01 - 175 g warm water
02 - 3 g instant yeast
03 - 4 g instant yeast (for cooler days)
04 - dash of Chinese 5-spice powder
05 - ½ teaspoon salt
06 - 150 g scallions, about 5.5 oz
07 - 300 g plain flour
08 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup
09 - raw white sesame seeds (or preferred kind)
10 - 1 tablespoon oat milk

→ Oil Paste

11 - 4 tablespoons cooking oil
12 - 3 tablespoons plain flour

# Instructions:

01 - Dump the flour into a bowl and sprinkle yeast over it. Slowly pour warm water while stirring with chopsticks. Mix until it’s no longer dry and smooth it into a soft ball. Cover with a moist towel and lid before leaving it to rise until it grows 1.5 times bigger, about half an hour.
02 - Mix flour in a bowl. Heat up the oil, and once it bubbles slightly around a chopstick, carefully pour it over the flour. Stir quickly until a paste forms, then let it cool a bit.
03 - Heat the oven up to 475°F (245°C).
04 - Spread some flour on your counter. Place the dough down and roll it into a rectangle that's about 3 mm thick and measures 16 inches by 10 inches.
05 - Scoop up two-thirds of the paste and smear it across the dough. Chop scallions and press them lightly onto the dough, spreading them evenly in the middle.
06 - Grab the lower section of the dough and flip it up to cover the scallions. Spread leftover paste and add more scallions on top. Now fold the top down to cover it. Press the edges to close up the dough and flip it, making sure the seam faces downward.
07 - Stir maple syrup and oat milk together until smooth. Brush the surface of the dough with this mix and cover the top generously with sesame seeds.
08 - Using a serrated knife, slice the dough into 6 even pieces. Arrange them on a baking tray, keeping an inch of space between each.
09 - Bake for about 12 minutes until golden. Once tapped, the bread should sound hollow and the inside will be cooked through. Serve warm or stuffed with your favorite filling.

# Notes:

01 - Using a scale makes measuring ingredients much more reliable.
02 - Parchment paper on the tray makes cleanup quick and super easy.
03 - If raw sesame isn't available, toasted ones work fine but might brown further.
04 - For a milder sweet glaze, try blending 1 tablespoon of maple syrup with 2 tablespoons of any plant milk.
05 - ½ teaspoon salt is a good amount, but tweak it to your taste.

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