Sofft, fluffy steamed buns filled with a molten lava-like salted egg yolk custard, these custard buns aka liu sha bao 流沙包 are a cute, must-have dim sum!
Author:Catherine Zhang
Prep Time:30 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Total Time:45 minutes
Yield:12 Buns 1x
Category:Bread
Method:Intermediate
Cuisine:Chinese
Ingredients
Scale
Bao Dough
300g Cake flour (3 cups)
180g Whole milk (3/4 cup), lukewarm
1 tbsp White sugar
1 tsp Instant yeast
1 tsp Vegetable oil
Yellow food colouring, optional
Egg Custard
2 Cooked egg yolks (salted duck or regular)
60g Unsalted butter (1/4 cup), room temperature
50g Icing sugar (1/2 cup)
20g Milk powder (2.5 tbsp)
20g Custard powder (2.5 tbsp)
Instructions
Egg Custard
Mash the egg yolks until smooth with a fork
Combine the butter and sugar in a bowl and whisk until smooth
Add the mashed yolks, milk powder and custard powder, and mix until smooth
Divide into 12 balls and refrigerate until firm
Bao dough
Cut 12 pieces of baking paper at 5 x 5cm / 2 x 2 inches
Combine the flour, lukewarm milk, sugar and yeast, in a large bowl and mix until just combined
Then knead until a rough ball,
Remove a small handful of dough for the eyes, if making and colour the rest of the dough with yellow food colouring (If you want to make them yellow with eyes, otherwise proceed to divide the dough into 12 balls without colouring)
Divide into 12 balls and cover
Allow the portioned balls to rest for 10 minutes
Uncover and knead each ball until smooth, then flatten and fill with a ball of custard
Seal and place on a square of baking paper
Place on a baking tray or in a steamer and cover
Proof for 45 mins or until the buns have grown, but not yet doubled in size
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-high
Place the steamer over the pot of water and steam the buns for 8-9 mins
Allow the buns to rest in the steamer after cooking for 5 mins then enjoy