Flower-shaped steamed buns

Stir the sugar and yeast into ice water (or milk); the cold slows the yeast so the buns do not rise while they are shaped. Refrigerate about five minutes so the yeast absorbs the water.

Pour the yeast water into the flour in batches, stirring. Knead in a stand mixer on medium speed 10 minutes, or by hand until smooth and elastic, since the dough proofs only once.

Divide the dough into four pieces and dye each a color; keep the dough not in use in the fridge.

Design 1: stick a ball of dough on a chopstick, set it on parchment and snip petals around it with scissors, rotating; stagger each new row between the petals of the last. Remove from the chopstick, push the center down, add a small yellow ball and tiny green beads. Refrigerate while making the rest.

Design 2: as design 1 but cutting from the opposite side of the chopstick; push down the center, add pink snipped petals and a small green ball.

Design 3: roll a ball into a round wrapper, wrap red bean paste, close and flatten to a disc; mark six points and make six even cuts, pinch each petal and top with a small snipped flower.

Variation: design 4 - after the six cuts, make a narrow cut on each petal, pinch the large parts and bring the small parts to the middle; decorate with colored dough.

Variation: design 5 - wrap a different colored dough instead of a filling, flatten, top with a small disc, cut thinner petals and twist them quickly to show the color.

Variation: design 6 - wrap a small dough in a big one, flatten, cut at six points, pinch each petal differently, and stack a smaller copy on top.

Proof at room temperature until 1.5 times the size - here another 25 minutes, normally 15 minutes to an hour.

Steam on high heat 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and do not open the lid immediately, or the buns shrink in the cold air.