Totoro Steamed Buns (Chocolate Filled!)

Step 1

Place the dark chocolate chips into a small mixing bowl and set aside.

Step 2

Add the coconut cream to a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately pour over the dark chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and combined with the milk. Add the hazelnut butter and vanilla extract if using and stir again. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until it has firmed up.

Step 3

Make the black sesame "milk": drain the sesame seeds and add them to a blender with the 1/2 cup of water. Blend on high-speed for about 10 seconds. Filter through a nut milk bag and discard the sesame pulp.

Step 4

Prepare the grey dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the bao flour and sugar. Dissolve the dry yeast in 3 tbsp of black sesame milk and add to the bowl with the oil. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until you get a smooth dough. It should have the texture of pizza dough and be very slightly sticky. Place in a bowl, cover with a wet kitchen towel and let it proof for about 90 minutes in a warm place.

Step 5

Prepare the white dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the bao flour and sugar. Dissolve the dry yeast in 1/3 cup of water and add to the bowl with the oil. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until you get a smooth dough. It should have the texture of pizza dough and be very slightly sticky. Place in a bowl, cover with a wet kitchen towel and let it proof for about 90 minutes in a warm place.

Step 6

Making the buns: Once both dough are ready, it's time to make the buns. Bring a pot of water to a boil (it should be about the size of your bamboo steamer).

Step 7

Scoop out balls of about 1 tablespoon of chocolate ganache and place them on a plate lined with parchment paper. Flatten the white dough using a rolling pin into about 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2.5-inch round cutter, cut out a disc. Slightly press the edges to make them thinner than the center. Place one ball of chocolate ganache in the center and pinch the edges of the dough around it to enclose the chocolate. Turn it over, place on a piece of parchment paper and repeat with the remaining filling and white dough.

Step 8

Now, roll out the grey dough into a 1/8-inch thickness and cut out the same size discs. Cut each disc in half. Flatten again to make the half discs a bit larger. Wrap one half disc around a bun and seal it by pinching the edges together on the bottom of the bun (see photos). Repeat with the remaining buns.

Step 9

To add the ears, cut small triangles in the grey dough and press them down on each bun to form ears. Do the same with the white dough for the eyes.

Step 10

Place 3 buns in a bamboo steamer, leaving about 2-inch of space between each. Place the bamboo steamer on top of the pot of boiling water and steam for about 15 minutes. Repeat with the remaining buns and let cool them cook at least 20 minutes.

Step 11

To decorate: melt about 1 tbsp of dark chocolate over a double boiler. Once melted, use a toothpick to draw the eyes, nose, mustache, and triangles on each bun. Let cool until the chocolate on top has hardened, or eat now if you can't wait!

Step 12

Steamed buns will keep for up to 2 days at room temperature.