Jujube Flower Bun

Prepare the ingredients; room temperature water should not exceed 40 degrees, and choose red dates that are plump and red.

Pour the flour, yeast, and water into a bowl, and use chopsticks to stir until it becomes a flaky mixture;

Knead the flour until there is no dry powder, cover it with a bowl, and let it rest for 10 minutes;

Knead for 3 minutes until the dough is delicate and smooth, showing a 'watery glow' texture. This step is crucial, as it ensures the buns have a smooth surface and a soft interior.

Roll the dough into a long shape and cut it into 12 equal pieces;

Roll the dough into balls separately, and cover with a bowl to prevent moisture from evaporating;

Take 2 pieces of dough and roll them into ovals of equal size. Fold up the bottom quarter and place one red date in it.

Pinch the sides of the dough together to enclose the red date;

Place the blank dough skin down flat and pinch it together, two by two, pressing against each other; use the same method to make 3 more pairs, arranging them in 4 rows, and clamp the middle with chopsticks;

Place the raw flower dough on the steamer tray, tidy up the shape of the flower, and gently press the center down with your palm to make it flat. This helps when placing the second layer of raw dough and also prevents air pockets from forming after the flower buns rise.

Take 3 pieces of dough and roll them into the same size of oval shapes, place a red date on each side, and then pinch them together.

Arrange them together, and pick them up from the middle with chopsticks;

A flower with six petals is formed;

Place 6 peanut kernels on the first layer of raw dough, gently pressing down in the middle to flatten them.

Roll the remaining small dough pieces into round sheets, and cut them into six equal parts with a knife, without cutting through the middle; press patterns onto each blank dough piece using a comb.

Pinch the two corners of the dough sheet together, and a six-petal flower is made.

Place 6 flower petals in the middle of the second layer of the raw dough, put a red date in the center of the flower, press down slightly with some force so that the red date sinks in, preventing it from appearing too high and abrupt after expanding.

Cover with the lid, let it rise to 1.5-2 times its size, then steam over high heat. After it starts steaming, steam for 20 minutes, then let it sit for 5 minutes before uncovering. The jujube flower buns will be white, fluffy, and full, looking extremely beautiful.