Polish Steamed Buns (Pampuchy)

These Polish steamed buns are fluffy and soft. They can be served as a savory side or a sweet dessert/snack with blueberry or strawberry sauce. Don’t worry if you don’t have a steamer – two pots and a splash guard will also work!

What are Polish steamed buns?

Most people associate steamed buns with Chinese cuisine, but did you know that they‘re also very popular in central Europe? I guess our love for dumplings is not the only thing we have in common!

These steamed buns are one of my favorite snacks from my childhood in Poland. They are called “pampuchy” or just steamed buns (“bułki na parze”) and were always served with blueberry sauce and cream. They‘re super easy to make and loved by adults and especially children! My daughter just can‘t get enough of them!

These buns can also be served with savory dishes, like goulash.

Ingredients

Below you will find information about the ingredients and how to prepare the recipe. For the measurements and detailed instructions scroll down to the printable recipe card.

The recipe for these steamed buns is super simple, you only need regular yeast dough ingredients: flour, egg, instant yeast, butter, sugar, milk, and salt.

Step-by-step instructions

• Use a food steamer or a regular pot with a steamer insert (it needs to be flat). You can also use a Chinese bamboo steamer.
• I’m using a very simple method – you just need two pots and a splash guard! I steam Thai sticky rice the same way. Add boiling water into a big pot, place the splash guard over the pot, place the dough balls on top, and cover with a second large pot. Works like a charm!

STEP 1: Proof the yeast – this step is optional when using instant yeast (as you can see in the video, I’m just stirring them with flour), but over the years I’ve found out that when you proof the yeast that way, you: 1. are sure they are working and 2. the dough rises faster. The yeast should turn foamy – if they’re not, you need to start over (maybe the milk-butter mixture was too hot).

How to do it: In a small pot, melt the butter. Add milk and sugar, and cook until warm to the touch – the mixture should reach a temperature of 100-104°F (37-40°C). It can’t be too hot or the yeast won’t work. Stir in the yeast. Set aside for 10 minutes, after this time, the yeast should be foamy (like in the photo above).

STEP 2: Make the dough: To a large mixing bowl, add flour and salt. Stir them together, add egg, and yeast-milk mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until roughly combined. Knead the dough until smooth, either by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. The dough will be a little bit sticky. Form a round ball and cover the bowl with a plastic wrap.

STEP 3: First rise: Set aside in a warm place (for example a turned-off oven with a light turned on) until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

STEP 4: Shape the buns: Divide the dough into 6 parts. Shape each part into a ball. Place on a floured surface.

STEP 5: Second rise: Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 20-30 minutes. The dough should increase its volume.

STEP 6: Steam the buns: Place 2-3 buns at least 1 inch (2-3 cm) apart on a steamer basket or splash guard placed on top of a large pot with simmering water (water should not boil rapidly). Cover with a lid or if using the splash guard, a second pot. Steam for about 12 minutes. When you open the pot the buns should not deflate (a sign they are not ready) and they should not stick to the splash guard/steamer basket (they can stick just slightly, but if they are really stuck, they are probably not ready). If you touch the surface of the buns, it should be firm and springy, it should not leave an indent or deflate.

Leave the buns to cool. Cut them only with a serrated knife, they are very delicate.

Make blueberry sauce: (optional) Make a cornstarch slurry: stir together cornstarch and a tablespoon of cold water until combined. Add cornstarch slurry, blueberries, sugar, and vanilla to a medium saucepan. Cook for a couple of minutes until blueberries turn into a sauce and it’s thickened.

Serve your steamed buns with blueberry sauce and yogurt (you can sweeten the yogurt but I like it plain).

Enjoy!

Serving suggestions

• Pampuchy are best with a berry sauce – either blueberry or strawberry sauce.
• Instead of the blueberry sauce, you can make sauce from any fruit that you like or just serve them with jam.
• You can also serve the buns with savory dishes like goulash!
• Instead of serving them with blueberry sauce, you can stuff the buns with blueberries (but I prefer them unstuffed and served with blueberry sauce). You need to steam stuffed buns a little longer, about 15 minutes, instead of 12.

You don’t want to steam the buns? Bake them!

Yes, you can use the same recipe to bake the buns in the oven. Brush the buns with a beaten egg or just milk/cream and bake them in an oven preheated to 375°F / 190°C for about 15 minutes or until golden.

Storage

Place the steamed buns in a tightly sealed container or wrap them in plastic foil and put them in the fridge. On the next day, steam them briefly, just until warm. They taste almost as good as the freshly steamed.

Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!

Polish Steamed Buns (Pampuchy)

These Polish steamed buns are fluffy and soft. They can be served as a savory side or a sweet dessert/snack with blueberry or strawberry sauce. Don’t worry if you don’t have a steamer – two pots and a splash guard will also work!

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5 from 3 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

rising time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 57 minutes minutes

Servings 3 servings

Calories 610kcal

Author Aleksandra

Ingredients

for the steamed buns:

• ▢ 2 cups (260g) flour spoon and leveled, not scooped
• ▢ large pinch of salt
• ▢ 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet) 7g
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 1/2 cup (120ml) milk
• ▢ 3 tablespoons (45g) butter
• ▢ 3 tablespoons (37g) sugar

blueberry sauce:

• ▢ 11 oz (300g) blueberries
• ▢ 2 tablespoons sugar
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

to serve:

• ▢ plain yogurt or whipped cream

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Instructions

• Make the dough: In a small pot, melt the butter. Add milk and sugar, and cook until warm to the touch – the mixture should reach a temperature of 100-104°F (37-40°C). It can't be too hot or the yeast won't work. Stir in the yeast. Set aside for 10 minutes. The yeast should turn foamy – if they're not, you need to start over (maybe the milk-butter mixture was too hot).
  1/2 cup (120ml) milk, 3 tablespoons (45g) butter, 3 tablespoons (37g) sugar, 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
• To a large mixing bowl, add flour and salt. Stir them together, add egg, and yeast-milk mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until roughly combined. Knead the dough until smooth, either by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. The dough will be a little bit sticky. Form a round ball and cover the bowl with a plastic wrap.
  2 cups (260g) flour, large pinch of salt, 1 large egg
• First rise: Set aside in a warm place (for example a turned-off oven with a light turned on) until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Shape the buns: Divide the dough into 6 parts. Shape each part into a ball. Place on a floured surface.
• Second rise: Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 20-30 minutes. The dough should increase its volume.
• Steam the buns: Place 2-3 buns at least 1 inch (2-3 cm) apart on a steamer basket or splash guard placed on top of a large pot with simmering water (water should not boil rapidly). Cover with a lid or if using the splash guard, a second pot. Steam for about 12 minutes. When you open the pot the buns should not deflate (a sign they are not ready) and they should not stick to the splash guard/steamer basket (they can stick just slightly, but if they are really stuck, they are probably not ready). If you touch the surface of the buns, it should be firm and springy, it should not leave an indent or deflate.
• Leave the buns to cool. Cut them only with a serrated knife, they are very delicate.
• Make blueberry sauce: (optional) Make a cornstarch slurry: stir together cornstarch and a tablespoon of cold water until combined. Add cornstarch slurry, blueberries, sugar, and vanilla to a medium saucepan. Cook for a couple of minutes until blueberries turn into a sauce and it's thickened.
  11 oz (300g) blueberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Serve your steamed buns with blueberry sauce and yogurt (you can sweeten the yogurt but I like it plain).
• Enjoy!

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine polish

Diet

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