Soft Chocolate Filled Buns

Featured in Sweet Creations and Baking Adventures.

Craving something sweet? These dreamy steamed buns are packed with gooey chocolate in every bite. The bao dough is an airy mix of all-purpose flour and wheat starch, creating a soft and tender bun texture. For the delicious filling, melt some chocolate chips with heavy cream to whip up a silky ganache. Once cooked, these buns are warm, light, and loaded with chocolatey goodness. Serve right after steaming to enjoy their ultimate taste and texture.

Rana
Updated on Sun, 20 Apr 2025 23:07:44 GMT
A bowl filled with chocolatey bao buns. Pin it
A bowl filled with chocolatey bao buns. | flavorsenthusiasts.com

These cloud-like chocolate steam buns merge the fluffiest bao base with a rich melting chocolate core, making a tempting sweet treat. You'll enjoy that magical moment when super-soft dough meets flowing chocolate in a dessert that's both cozy and fancy.

I came up with this after tasting chocolate baos at a Taiwan street market. I spent almost a month tweaking the dough-filling balance until I got that dreamy combo of ultra-soft outside and gooey chocolate inside that had my pals begging me for instructions.

What You'll Need

  • All-purpose flour: works as your dough foundation giving just enough stability without getting heavy
  • Wheat starch: brings that classic bright white look and soft bite that makes traditional baos stand out
  • Powdered sugar: adds gentle sweetness while mixing smoothly into your dough with no gritty feeling
  • Vegetable shortening: brings a softness and richness that you can't get from just using butter
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips: offer the ideal mix of sweetness and richness for your filling
  • Heavy cream: turns ordinary chocolate into a smooth, flowing center with perfect thickness

Simple Cooking Guide

Make Your Chocolate Center:
Warm the heavy cream until tiny bubbles form at the edges, making sure it doesn't actually boil. Pour this warm cream over your chocolate chips, making sure they're fully covered. Let it sit untouched for 10 minutes, then gently mix with a rubber spatula until velvety smooth. It should look shiny with no streaks. Cool it uncovered for 30 minutes, then put plastic wrap right on the surface and chill another hour until it thickens but stays spoonable.
Get Your Yeast Going:
Heat milk to exactly 110°F with a thermometer. Sprinkle yeast on top, cover, and wait 10 minutes until it gets foamy. This helps your dough puff up nicely and creates those tiny air pockets that make baos so light.
Put Your Dough Together:
Sift all your dry stuff to get rid of lumps that might ruin your bun texture. With your mixer running low, mix in shortening until it breaks down completely, then slowly add your yeast mix and the egg white with oil. Speed up to medium and knead for 5 minutes until everything forms a nice ball that pulls away from the bowl sides. Your dough should feel slightly sticky but won't cling to your fingers when touched.
Let It Grow:
Roll the dough into a smooth ball, pop it in a lightly greased bowl, and cover with plastic. Let it sit in a warm spot for 1-2 hours until it doubles. This slow rise builds flavor and structure. Don't rush it—this rich dough might take longer than regular bread dough.
Form and Fill Your Buns:
Cut dough into 12 equal pieces and quickly roll each into a ball. Work with one piece at a time (keep others covered), rolling it into a 4-inch circle with thin edges and thicker middle. This thickness pattern helps with sealing and even cooking. Put exactly 1 tablespoon of chocolate filling in the center, then pull edges up and pinch firmly to close completely.
Steam Them Just Right:
After letting the filled buns rest under a kitchen towel for 15 minutes, get your steamer ready by tying a dish towel around the lid to catch water drops. Bring water to a boil, then turn down to medium heat. Put buns at least 2 inches apart, cover, and steam for 10-12 minutes. Let them sit in the steamer with the heat off for 1 minute before taking them out—this stops them from wrinkling from sudden temperature change.
A bowl of chocolate steamed buns. Pin it
A bowl of chocolate steamed buns. | flavorsenthusiasts.com

Wheat starch really is the game-changer in this recipe. I found this out while testing different flour mixes, and nothing else gives you that signature softness and clean white look you want in real bao buns. When I make these at parties, everyone asks what's my secret that makes them so much tastier than other versions they've tried.

Getting The Perfect Feel

Getting your bao texture just right means paying attention to how wet your dough is. When made correctly, your steamed bun should be airy yet strong enough to hold the filling without breaking. The dough should feel a bit sticky but not wet during kneading. If it seems too damp, sprinkle in flour one spoonful at a time. If it feels too firm or dry, add tiny splashes of warm water until you get that perfect slightly sticky feel that pulls away from the bowl but stays soft and flexible.

A bowl of chocolate buns. Pin it
A bowl of chocolate buns. | flavorsenthusiasts.com

Picking The Right Chocolate

The chocolate you choose really changes how your filling turns out. This recipe works best with semisweet chocolate chips from the baking section. White chocolate needs less cream, while dark chocolate might need a bit more for the right flowing texture. Don't use regular eating chocolate bars since they have stuff added that stops them from melting smoothly. For a fancy upgrade, try good quality couverture chocolate with 55-65% cocoa—it melts better and has deeper flavors that go really well with the gentle sweetness of the bao dough.

Enjoying And Keeping Fresh

These chocolate buns taste best right away while they're warm and the chocolate inside is still runny and flows when you bite in. For a complete dessert, add a light sprinkling of powdered sugar and some fresh berries on the side to balance the richness. You can keep leftover buns in a sealed container at room temperature for a day. To warm them up, just steam for 3-4 minutes until hot. If you want to keep them longer, freeze the cooled buns wrapped in plastic wrap then foil. Heat frozen buns by steaming for 8-10 minutes until they're hot all the way through.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ What’s the best way to get the dough texture right?

Add flour one spoon at a time if it’s sticky. If it feels too dry or tough, mix in a spoon of warm water to loosen it up.

→ Can I make the ganache ahead of time?

Absolutely! Keep it in the fridge, covered, up to a day. Bring it to room temp before using.

→ How do I stop wrinkles on buns after steaming?

Keep the steamer temperature steady. Wrap the steamer lid in a cloth to trap condensation from dripping down.

→ Which chocolate is best for the center?

Semi-sweet chips or baking chocolate work great. They melt into a creamy and smooth filling.

→ Can I make extra buns and freeze them?

Of course! Steam them first, freeze them, and then warm them up later by steaming for a few extra minutes.

→ What’s the serving suggestion?

This batch makes a dozen buns. Each bun serves as a perfect little treat—great for sharing or keeping all to yourself!

Soft Chocolate Buns

These fluffy bao buns are packed with creamy, gooey chocolate inside. A must-try for dessert lovers!

Prep Time
30 Minutes
Cook Time
30 Minutes
Total Time
60 Minutes
By: Rana

Category: Desserts & Pastry

Difficulty: Difficult

Cuisine: Fusion Inspired Asian

Yield: 12 Servings (12 buns)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

→ Dough for Bao

01 1 tablespoon (15 g) vegetable oil
02 1 large egg white
03 1 tablespoon (15 g) vegetable shortening
04 2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder
05 ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk, heated to 110°F (43°C)
06 ¾ cup (100 g) wheat starch
07 ¼ teaspoon salt
08 ½ cup (70 g) powdered sugar
09 1 ½ teaspoons (6 g) instant yeast or active dry yeast
10 2 cups (300 g) regular all-purpose flour

→ Ganache Filling

11 1 cup heavy cream
12 1 ⅓ cups (8 oz) semi-sweet chocolate that melts easily

Instructions

Step 01

Heat the cream gently in a small pot until it’s hot but not boiling, with bubbles forming along the edges. Take it off the stove and pour it over chocolate pieces in a bowl that can handle heat. Let it rest for 10 minutes before stirring until smooth velvet-like consistency.

Step 02

Put the ganache uncovered into the fridge for half an hour to cool. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap pressed on the surface to avoid it forming a skin. Chill it another hour.

Step 03

Heat the milk to 110°F (43°C) and mix in your yeast. If using active yeast, cover with wrap and let it sit for 10 minutes. For instant yeast, just wait 2-3 minutes. Bubbles or foam mean it’s ready.

Step 04

In your stand mixer bowl with a dough hook attached, sift together baking powder, flour, powdered sugar, salt, and wheat starch until mixed well.

Step 05

Turn your mixer to low and add shortening while it runs. Let the shortening break into tiny bits as it blends.

Step 06

Whisk together an egg white and vegetable oil in a small bowl. Mix them briskly with a fork until they’re merged into one smooth mixture.

Step 07

Pour the yeast mix and egg-oil mix into the dry ingredients. Run your mixer at low for about half a minute, then turn it up and knead 5 minutes. Adjust if it’s too dry or sticky by adding a splash of water or a sprinkle of flour.

Step 08

Coat a bowl lightly with oil. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in, and cover tightly with plastic. Leave it somewhere warm (100°F or so) for about 60-120 minutes to let it double in volume.

Step 09

Divide the puffed-up dough into 12 even portions. Roll each into a neat ball, setting them under plastic to keep from drying. Flatten each one, leaving a thick center and thinner edges, about a 4-inch disk.

Step 10

Spoon a tablespoon of cold ganache onto the middle of every dough disk. Pinch the edges up and together, sealing the ganache tightly inside.

Step 11

Place the filled dough balls onto parchment squares, drape them with a towel, and let them rest for 15 minutes so they keep their fluffiness.

Step 12

Put a cloth around your steamer lid so water doesn’t drip onto the buns. Boil water in your steamer and set the buns 2 inches apart. Cover and steam over medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Let the buns stay in the steamer one more minute to avoid wrinkles. Steam in batches if needed.

Step 13

Eat the warm buns right away and savor every bite.

Notes

  1. Wrap the steamer lid with cloth so no water drips on top of buns.
  2. Rest your bao dough for 15 minutes to get a soft, airy bun.
  3. If using other chocolates, you might need to tweak the cream used in ganache.

Tools You'll Need

  • Kitchen mixer with dough hook
  • Scales for weighing ingredients
  • Bowls for mixing
  • Steaming setup

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Has dairy products.
  • Includes eggs.
  • Contains gluten and wheat.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 332
  • Total Fat: 19 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 35 g
  • Protein: 5 g