Presenting Soft Spongy Pillowy Pau….baked fresh at home!
A joint exercise with my kids, who loved helping me make them! We spent a fun summer afternoon, as they eagerly helped me fold, shape and proof the dough…and excitedly watched the Paus emerge from the oven…..Yeah time to make my daughter’s fav Vada Pau!
Or will it be my son’s fav Pau Bhaji or hubby’s Keema Pau.
Sigh….I guess I’ll just have to bake another batch soon! 🙂
Courtesy: Jeff Yankellow
These are especially rewarding to make, as their texture is far better than the bakery ones and come with no added preservatives to increase shelf life!
As you bake them, your whole house smells wonderful.
As you break open each Pau, you will marvel at the fabulously soft texture and as you take a bite,
Mmmmmm…You will soon be finding excuses to enjoy them with any and every thing!
Courtesy: Jeff Yankellow
You will need:
5 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup milk powder
2 cups luke-warm water
1 heaped tsp instant Yeast
2 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Sugar
2 tbsp butter
Some extra flour for sprinkling.
Note: recipe makes 16 large or 24 medium size Paus.
Method:
Making the dough…
Empty out some flour in a mixing bowl.
Using a spoon or whisk, aerate the flour by whisking it.
Now measure out 5 level cupfuls of the aerated flour in another large mixing bowl.
Add the salt, sugar, yeast, butter and milk powder to the measured flour.
Add the 2 cups of Luke warm water.
Using a wooden spoon, slowly bring the dough together.
At this stage the dough will look rough n shaggy.
Sprinkle some flour on top of dough…
and flip dough onto work surface.
Folding the dough…
Pick up top corners of dough,
and fold to meet bottom corners.
Using palm of your hand gently push dough back.
Give a 90 degree turn to the dough, so that the seam faces left. Repeat this process folding
and pushing dough for the next 4-5 minutes.
Now mid-way cover dough and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Once again, fold and push dough for another 4-5 minutes, till it resembles a smooth ball.
Grease a mixing bowl.
Transfer dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap.
Allow to rise for 1 hour or till it more than doubles in volume.
Shaping and proofing the dough…
Once the dough doubles, transfer dough to a lightly floured surface.
Lightly pat with fingers and flatten slightly.
Cut horizontally into two sections. Each section will make about 8 large or 12 medium Paus.
We will work with one section at a time.
Starting from the top gently, yet tightly roll dough, pinching down seams after each roll.
Repeat rolling and pinching till…
the entire section is rolled into a uniform cylinder, with the seam tightly pinched close.
Now flip roll so that seam side faces down. Gently roll the dough with your hands to make a thin uniform cylinder.
Mark and cut into 8 (for large size) or 12 (for medium size) uniform pieces.
Repeat the same process with the second half of the dough to get 16 (large) or 24 (medium) Paus in total.
Shaping the rolls…
Take 1 cut piece of dough. Flip to keep the smooth side at the bottom. Press gently with fingers to deflate slightly.
Using your fingers, pinch corners, fold and bring to the middle.
Move in a concentric circle, till all the corners are pinched in.
Flip dough to bring smooth side on top. Then using your hands, tuck dough in from all sides to further tighten the ball of dough.
Repeat this process with all 16/24 pieces.
Baking the rolls…
Place the shaped Paus on a greased rectangular/loaf tin, placing them snug against each other. By aligning them close together, you ensure that they rise upwards more than side ways, lending good height to your Pau!
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Now cover with a damp cloth and proof the Paus for 30-40 minutes, till they almost double in size. Poke lightly with finger to see how well they have proofed. They should slowly spring back.
Brush the proofed Paus liberally with milk using a pastry brush
And they are now ready to be baked.
Place them in a 375F preheated oven in the middle rack for about 20 minutes. Increase temperature to 400F for the last 2-3 minutes of baking for a darker crust.
Once out of the oven transfer rolls to wire rack to cool.
Enjoy fresh baked Pau…with your fav foods, like Vada Pau, Pau bhaji or Keema Pau….Yummmmy!
Related posts…
VADA PAU at its original best!
EASY 1-STEP CROCKPOT PAU BHAJI
At what point in the process do you add milk powder?
It goes in the flour at the beginning it self along with the yeast, salt , sugar and butter.
Hi I am beginner in baking so would like to ask about pre heating the oven
Always switch oven on 10 minutes before you plan to bake any dish. This brings the oven to the required temperature from the very start of the baking process.
Thank you so much for the recipe
Welcome
Gotta try this one Ruchi ! Thanks for sharing ?
All the best…do share feedback. 🙂
Can we use dry yeast
You can use any kind of dry yeast here.
can this recipe be halved?
Absolutely…you can easily make half the recipe…just adjust ingredients accordingly!
This is unbelievable! They look so yummy! I’m trying this right now!!!!!
All the best….do share your experience with us! 🙂
Hi.. Can we use a hand mixer instead of kneading it with hands??
This recipe is best made by hand! 🙂
I am an amateur in cooking. So excuse me but all purpose flour is same as maida ? Or it’s a spl diff type of flour.
Maida can be used, where the recipe calls for all purpose flour.
what kind of milk powder are you using?
Non fat dry milk powder available in American super markets.
In followup to the last question, I wonder if the initial process of mixing and rising the dough can be done in a bread machine? It is a 90 minute cycle. Thanks for this lovely recipe.
What can be used as a substitute for milk powder??i want to make this today ?
Hey.. I tried your recipe for Pavs.. And its AMAZING!! Pavs are exactly like the ones we get in Bombay.. I have tried so many recipes for pavs.. Ufff! But finally have found your recipe.. Thanks so much for sharing.. 🙂
Do you melt the butter or just put in softened butter?
Softened butter is good enough
What brand milk powder you used. And which yeast. Will love to try this pav. Thanks
I use any generic brand non-fat milk powder available in the supermarkets. I use dry instant yeast for baking….brand is Fleischmannns
Can I skip the milk powder?
And when u say increase the temp to 400 f for last 2-3 mins, do u mean after the first 20 mins?
Using milk powder ensures a richness in taste and tenderness in texture. That being said, if you want, you can avoid it. You can also try adding coconut milk powder for a vegan substitute.
The last 2-3 minutes get counted as part of the 20 minute cycle.
can we do without milk powder?
Yes you can,but using it will give even better results!
Hey Ruchi….thanks so much for the wonderful recipe….I tried it but the paos turned flat on the top…even though they had risen…..how to get that round shape is my question….. Kindly help…….
Place them closer together while proofing and baking…so that they rise upwards, rather than sideways…lending height to the Pau!
Hello there!
This looks so good… must try! I can’t use milk powder, due to lactose intolerance. What can i use instead? Does milk work?
Milk would have lactose too…try adding an egg instead.
Hi Ruchi,
I tried this recipe, and I must say your recipe rocks! I’ve tried few other recipes, it’s truly a NO-FAIL! Thanks a lot for sharing it. I wish I could share a picture of how beautiful the pavs turned out.
I meant to say: I’ve tried few other recipes, but this one is truly a NO-FAIL. Sorry for the error
hi Ruchi, i am trying paus today. can the initial kneading be done in a stand mixer ?
Yes, but be careful not to over do it!
Hiii what is heaped dry yeast? Please
Heaped tsp of dry yeast.
Hi ruchisiren the highest temp in my oven is 250 degrees can i bake them at this temp
Can fresh yeast be used instead of dry yeast and if yes, what should be the amount?
Thanks!
Fresh yeast can be used. Rule of thumb is to multiply the Dry yeast quantity by 3. E.g. In this recipe, you can use 3 heaped tsp Fresh yeast.
Can v try this with wheat flour?will it be soft?
You can try, but results will nit be as good! What I would suggest is to mix and use whole wheat and all purpose in the ratio of 1:1
Hello Ruchi,
Thank you for posting great recipe.Pleaseshare pics of yeast we can use. I had baked pau before & it turned out very yeasty taste. It puffed texture was great. I had to throw them because tasted awful.
Will include it as part of the main post.
Hi Ruchi
Thanks for all recipes. You inspired me for cooking new healthy dishes.
I want to know have you tried oats pav? if so could you please send me the recipe?
No,I’ve still not tried oats pau
Hey can i do the dough in bread maker…n then form balls and let it rise outside
Sure you can…though…nothing like hand kneaded dough! 🙂
Wow now that is truely a descriptive post .My imagination would run amok when i read the folding instruction .Hey Presto aab samajh mein aya the science of folding .I owe you a picture when i try them .Thanksssss ! Ruchi
You are welcome
Ruchi can we try with Wheat flour
I would suggest using a combination of all purpose and whole wheat…or your results might be too dense!
I would suggest using a combination of whole wheat and all purpose flour.
I would suggest using a combination of all purpose and whole wheat
I never thought I can make a perfect pav. All thanks to you!!
Hi Ruchi
My pav turned dry in texture after baking. They were super spongy though. Plz help.
Brushing with butter will help!
Hi
i dont know much about baking.can u tell me diffrence between instant yeast and dry yeast.
thank you.
Instant yeast is a type of dry yeast that doesn’t require proofing.
Hi! How can we use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast in this recipe?
Also 1 cup flour is how many grams?
Same way
Loved your recipe and baked awesome pav. Thank you so much!
Admire your patience in replying to all queries!
Have tried your Kulchas and they turned out so good. Now it is time for the paus!