Banh tieu - Hollow bread (hollow donut)

By Helen Le Published: May 6, 2012

  • Prep: 30 mins
  • Cook: 30 mins
  • Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins

* Why are my donuts not hollow? Why it did not puff up? Why, why, why? Answer: Making hollow donuts requires some experience …

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Ingredients
Instructions
  • In a small bowl, combine the yeast, 1 tbsp sugar and luke warm water (Water at about 40°C/100°F). Stir well and set aside for 5 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, salt, baking powder and flour. Make a well in the center and pour the yeast mixture in. Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
  • Stir well with a wooden spoon and knead into a soft dough (5-10 minutes on lowest speed with a mixer or 15-20 minutes by hand)
  • Form the dough into a ball, and place it back to the mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest in a warm place (37°C/ 99°F) for 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size.
  • Remove the dough from the bowl; knead for one minute to remove the gas inside. Then divide the dough into 8 or 16 balls, depending on your preferred size. Roll the balls in the sesame seeds. Cover with a slightly damp cloth and let it rest again for 10 minutes.
  • Use a rolling pin to roll the dough balls into round disks with ¼ inch (0.5cm) thickness. Cover and let them rest for another 10 minutes to rise.
  • In a saucepan or a wok, pour vegetable oil to a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil until it reaches 180°C/350°F (Tips to test the temperature: Stand a wooden chopstick in the oil; when small bubbles appear around it, the oil is ready). Slide a piece of flat dough into the oil. After a few seconds, it will float to the surface. Gently flip it over and over to help it puff up. Keep flipping & frying until golden brown. Then transfer to a cooling rack or a strainer to drain off the excess oil.

* Why are my donuts not hollow? Why it did not puff up? Why, why, why?

Answer: Making hollow donuts requires some experience working with flour and yeast. You need to note the followings:
– The yeast is activated with luke warm water at around 32-38°C / 90-100°F
– You let the dough rest in a warm place (37°C/ 99°F) for 3 times: first time after kneading (for 1 hour), second time after dividing the dough and dip in sesame (for 10 mins), and third time after shaping (for 10 more minutes).
– You need to use lots of oil for frying, at least 5cm / 2 inches deep.
– Deep-frying oil is hot at 180°C / 350°F.

* Câu hỏi thường gặp: Tại sao bánh tiêu không phồng?
Câu trả lời: Làm bánh tiêu cần chút kinh nghiệm làm việc với bột. Bạn nên lưu ý các điểm sau:
– Hòa men nâu với nước ấm khoảng 32-38°C
– Để bột nghỉ 3 lần ở nơi ấm khoảng 37°C: Lần 1 nghỉ 1h sau khi nhồi, lần 2 nghỉ 15-20 phút sau khi chia bột và nhúng mè, lần 3 nghỉ 10 phút trước khi chiên.
– Cần nhiều dầu, dầu phải cao 5cm trở lên.
– Dầu đủ nóng, khoảng 175°C.