Chocolate Xiaolongbao

Ingredients

• 4 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate (60 to 70% cocoa), finely chopped — quality matters here; use Valrhona, Callebaut, or Ghirardelli baking bars; chocolate chips contain stabilizers that prevent proper ganache formation
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Pinch of flaky sea salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 1/3 cup just-boiled water (not fully boiling — about 190°F; hot water partially hydrates the gluten differently than cold water, making the dough more pliable and the finished skin more tender and translucent when steamed)
• 1 Pinch of salt
• 1 Flaky sea salt, for finishing
• 1 Matcha whipped cream (optional): 1/2 cup heavy cream + 1 tsp matcha powder + 1 tbsp powdered sugar, whipped to soft peaks

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the finely chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it just begins to simmer and small bubbles appear at the edges — do not let it come to a full boil. Remove from heat and pour immediately over the chopped chocolate.

2. 2

   Let the cream and chocolate sit together undisturbed for 60 seconds — this resting period allows the cream to uniformly melt the chocolate from the outside in. Then stir slowly and gently from the center outward using a spatula until the ganache is completely smooth, glossy, and uniform with no visible chocolate pieces. Add the vanilla extract and salt. Stir to combine.

3. 3

   Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ganache — direct contact prevents a skin from forming. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or until the ganache is completely firm and scoopable. It should hold its shape when pressed with a spoon. The ganache must be cold and solid at assembly time or it will flow out through gaps in the pleating during steaming.

4. 4

   In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt. Slowly pour the hot water in while stirring with chopsticks or a fork — do not add it all at once or the dough will be uneven. Stir until shaggy clumps form, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 4 to 5 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft, and springs back when poked. It should feel slightly tacky but not sticky. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Resting relaxes the gluten so the dough rolls thin without tearing and the wrappers stay tender after steaming.

5. 5

   Divide the rested dough in half. Keep one half wrapped while you work with the other. On a very lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough as thin as possible — aim for 1.5 to 2mm, roughly the thickness of a credit card. The center of each wrapper should be very slightly thicker than the edges (about 2mm center, 1mm at the rim) — thicker center supports the filling weight, thinner edges pleat more easily and become translucent when steamed.

6. 6

   Cut out rounds using a 3 to 3.5-inch round cutter or the rim of a glass. Re-roll the scraps once. You should get approximately 24 total wrappers across both halves of dough.

7. 7

   Remove the chilled ganache from the refrigerator. Using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop a ball of ganache about 1 teaspoon in volume and place it in the center of one wrapper. Work quickly — the heat from your hands begins softening the ganache.

8. 8

   To pleat: hold the wrapper and filling in the cup of your non-dominant hand. With your dominant hand, use your thumb and index finger to pinch a small fold at the edge of the wrapper at the 12 o'clock position. Continue pinching small, overlapping folds all the way around the perimeter — aim for 12 to 16 pleats — gathering toward the center as you go. At the final pleat, pinch all the gathered folds together firmly and twist slightly to seal. The finished dumpling should look like a small pouch with a pleated spiral top, exactly as shown in the photo. Press the base gently flat so it sits upright.

9. 9

   Place each finished dumpling on a parchment-lined plate and return immediately to the refrigerator while you assemble the rest. Cold dumplings hold their seal better and the ganache stays firm until the moment of steaming.

10. 10

    Set up the bamboo steamer over a wok or pot of boiling water. Line the steamer basket with perforated parchment paper — regular parchment without holes traps too much steam and makes the wrappers wet. Place the chilled dumplings in the steamer with at least 1/2 inch of space between each — they expand slightly during steaming. Do not crowd.

11. 11

    Cover and steam over high heat for 6 to 8 minutes. At 6 minutes the wrappers will be fully translucent and the filling will be molten. At 8 minutes the wrappers begin to toughen slightly. Do not oversteam — the chocolate filling continues cooking from residual heat after the steamer lid is removed.

12. 12

    Carry the bamboo steamer directly to the table — chocolate xiaolongbao must be eaten immediately out of the steamer. The ganache will re-solidify within 2 to 3 minutes of coming off the heat. Finish each dumpling with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve the matcha whipped cream on the side if using.

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