Dough-to-filling for steamed buns that don't leak, collapse, or end up 70% dough.
Pick bun size, filling type, count and leavening. The card gives per-bun dough weight, per-bun filling weight, total flour, and steamer time.
Bao dough-to-filling is a balance: too little filling and the bun feels like bread; too much and it bursts during steaming. Most home recipes give absolute amounts but ignore that bun size matters more than recipe count. The filling-to-dough ratio varies by filling wetness (custard needs less weight per gram of dough than char siu).
Anyone making dim sum at home. Vegetarian cooks trying to scale bao recipes that assume pork. First-timers whose bao collapse or leak during steaming.
The "per-bun filling" is the maximum your bun can hold without leaking. Go 20% lighter if you are a beginner; the seal is forgiving when there is room to fold. Wet fillings (vegetable, custard, curry) must be wrung out or thickened before filling - otherwise steam pressure pushes liquid through the seal and the bun deflates.
Yeast activity depends on temperature. Cold kitchens need longer rise. Steamer pressure varies by stove - if your lid is loose or your pot is too shallow, add 2 minutes.
Why did my bao deflate? Either under-steamed (lift the lid, wait 30 sec, then remove - sudden cold air collapses yeasted bao) or filling was too wet.
Can I freeze shaped bao? Yes, freeze before the second rise. Steam from frozen, add 5 min.
Why are my bao yellow not white? Baking powder leaves a trace yellow tint. Use yeast for whiter buns.