Description
Classic Chinese stovetop custard cream buns offer delightful comfort with silky filling and pillowy dough. Sweet pastry lovers relish this authentic treat that connects culinary heritage with delicious satisfaction you’ll savor completely.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ¾ cups (220 grams) all-purpose or cake flour
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp instant dry yeast
- 1 tbsp white granulated or castor sugar
- 2 tbsps sugar (for custard)
- ½ cup (120 mL/milliliters) warm water
- ½ cup (120 mL/milliliters) milk
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp canola or sunflower oil
- ⅓ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Dough Preparation: Blend flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl, creating a solid dry foundation.
- Liquid Integration: Warm milk, water, and oil, then seamlessly fold into dry ingredients to form a unified dough mixture.
- Kneading Process: Energetically work the dough for 5-7 minutes until achieving a smooth, elastic consistency with a silky sheen.
- First Fermentation: Cover dough with a clean cloth, allowing it to rise in a warm, draft-free zone for approximately one hour until doubled in volume.
- Custard Creation: Gently heat milk in a saucepan, then whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a separate bowl to form a velvety custard base.
- Custard Development: Gradually stream warm milk into egg mixture, continuously whisking, then return to saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture transforms into a thick, pudding-like consistency.
- Custard Finishing: Remove from heat, incorporate vanilla extract, and allow custard to cool completely to room temperature.
- Dough Shaping: Deflate risen dough with gentle kneading, divide into 12 equal portions, and roll each into perfect circles.
- Filling and Sealing: Position a generous custard dollop on one half of each dough circle, fold carefully, and seal edges completely.
- Proofing and Cooking: Let assembled buns rest for 15 minutes, then cook in a lightly oiled non-stick pan over low heat, flipping midway to achieve uniform golden-brown coloration.
- Final Touches: Transfer cooked buns to a cooling rack and optionally dust with a delicate layer of powdered sugar before serving warm.
Notes
- Dough Hydration Tip: Gradually add warm liquid to flour mixture for smoother, more elastic dough texture that prevents clumping.
- Custard Consistency Check: Continuously whisk milk and egg mixture to avoid lumps and achieve silky, pudding-like custard without curdling.
- Low Heat Cooking Technique: Maintain gentle, low heat when pan-frying buns to ensure even golden-brown exterior without burning.
- Proofing Patience: Allow dough and filled buns to rest in warm area, which develops deeper flavor and ensures soft, fluffy texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg