The stunning purple of sweet potato is hard to resist, and when it’s used in mantou, it offers a delightful treat for both the eyes and the palate. Today, I’ll guide you through the step-by-step process of making these irresistible purple sweet potato buns.

My love for Buns

Buns are a staple on my family’s table, much like dumplings. They’re convenient to freeze, making them a quick breakfast option on busy mornings.

Just like dumplings, buns can be made in bulk and stored in the freezer. This way, you can prepare a batch ahead of time and have a ready-to-go breakfast whenever you need it.

Purple sweet potato mantou is a steamed bun made with purple sweet potato, which gives it a vibrant color and a subtle, sweet flavor. The mantou dough incorporates purple sweet potato puree, resulting in a soft and slightly sweet bun with a distinctive purple hue.

These buns are a delightful variation of traditional Chinese mantou, showcasing the natural sweetness and unique color of purple sweet potatoes.

I steam about 500g of purple sweet potato, reserving 150g for the dough and using the rest to make purple sweet potato paste. This paste is a popular filling for various Chinese pastries like mooncakes, buns, glutinous rice balls (tang yuan), and mochi (Chinese Lo Mai Chi, such as Purple Sweet Potato Mochi).

Ingredients:

For the Purple Sweet Potato Dough:

150g steamed purple sweet potato
30g sugar
120ml warm water (around 35°C)
3g yeast
300g all-purpose flour

For the White Dough:

300g all-purpose flour
30g sugar
3g yeast
150ml warm water (around 35°C)

Instructions:

Prepare the Purple Sweet Potato Dough:

Wash, peel, and cut about 500g purple sweet potatoes into small pieces.
Steam the pieces for about 25 minutes until soft.
Measure out 150g of the steamed purple sweet potato, then add 30g of sugar. Mash it with a fork until smooth (a potato masher can also be used). Let it cool slightly before using.
Combine the mashed purple sweet potato with 120ml warm water, 3g yeast, and 300g all-purpose flour. Mix with chopsticks until a shaggy dough forms, then knead until smooth.

Prepare the White Dough:

In a bowl, combine 300g all-purpose flour, 30g sugar, 3g yeast, and 150ml warm water. Mix with chopsticks until the dough forms, then knead until smooth.

Assemble the Mantou:

Roll out both the purple sweet potato dough and the white dough into rectangular shapes.
Place the white dough on top of the purple sweet potato dough.
Roll the dough from top to bottom into a cylinder shape.
Gently roll the dough into a long log. If the dough is sticky, sprinkle some flour on it.
Cut the log into evenly sized pieces.

Steam the Mantou:

Place the mantou pieces in a steamer, cover with the lid, and let them rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Steam over medium-high heat for 12 minutes, starting the timer when the water begins to boil.
After steaming, let the mantou sit for 5 minutes before opening the steamer to prevent them from collapsing.
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Purple Sweet Potato Mantou (Bun)

The stunning purple of sweet potato is hard to resist, and when it’s used in mantou, it offers a delightful treat for both the eyes and the palate. Today, I’ll guide you through the step-by-step process of making these irresistible purple sweet potato buns.

Course Breakfast, Side Dish
Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time 45 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 641kcal
Ingredients
For the Purple Sweet Potato Dough:
150 g steamed purple sweet potato
30 g sugar
120 ml warm water around 35°C
3 g yeast
300 g all-purpose flour
For the White Dough:
300 g all-purpose flour
30 g sugar
3 g yeast
150 ml warm water around 35°C
Instructions
Prepare the Purple Sweet Potato Dough:
Wash, peel, and cut about 500g purple sweet potatoes into small pieces.
Steam the pieces for about 25 minutes until soft.
Measure out 150g of the steamed purple sweet potato, then add 30g of sugar. Mash it with a fork until smooth (a potato masher can also be used). Let it cool slightly before using.
Combine the mashed purple sweet potato with 120ml warm water, 3g yeast, and 300g all-purpose flour. Mix with chopsticks until a shaggy dough forms, then knead until smooth.
Prepare the White Dough:
In a bowl, combine 300g all-purpose flour, 30g sugar, 3g yeast, and 150ml warm water. Mix with chopsticks until the dough forms, then knead until smooth.
Assemble the Mantou:
Roll out both the purple sweet potato dough and the white dough into rectangular shapes.
Place the white dough on top of the purple sweet potato dough.
Roll the dough from top to bottom into a cylinder shape.
Gently roll the dough into a long log. If the dough is sticky, sprinkle some flour on it.
Cut the log into evenly sized pieces.
Steam the Mantou:
Place the mantou pieces in a steamer, cover with the lid, and let them rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Steam over medium-high heat for 12 minutes, starting the timer when the water begins to boil.
After steaming, let the mantou sit for 5 minutes before opening the steamer to prevent them from collapsing.
Nutrition
Calories: 641kcal | Carbohydrates: 138g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 302mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 5320IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 7mg