Updated post on  16-4-2015

Decided to update this post for easier flow of custard filling. This updated recipe is easier to do must more sinful. Your pao wrapping have to be as centre as possible and the dough cannot be too thin. 

INTRODUCTION

This should be one of my last post on my Chinese Buns or bao series. In order to complete my series, I have decided to prepare some salted egg yolk custard buns.

After studied many recipes, I have came out my own version of salted egg yolk fillings. I am very pleased with the outcome of the fillings though I have hoped that it will flow out when the bun was broken into half.. It dripped, did not curdle or flow out like what is sold in the restaurant. Hmmm, whether this qualified to be called liu sha bao (流沙包） or nai huang bao (奶皇包） is up to readers to decide. 

Liu sha bao basically means that “flowing sand” and the egg custard mixture will flows out of the buns like flowing sand. If it did not flow, it will be called nai huang bao or egg yolk custard buns.

I have studied my recipe and I believed that in order to make it to flow out, my humble opinion is that the amount of butter in the ingredients have to be relatively more that what is stated here. Butter when heated up, will liquidity and flow out ..

I have purposely took two buns after my photo taking session, re-steamed it under high heat, broke the buns into half immediately and this is the outcome, it dripped and start to set when temperature start to decrease.

Well, the above is my speculation and is unconfirmed. However, I have still decided to issue the recipe as I personally find that the filling really suits my taste bud. 

Family members were pleased with the buns. It is rare that I prepared twelve and I did not give it to the neighbours as kids liked it so much that they have asked me to “do some more”.. Wife was complementing asking me to reserve two for her lunch in office on Monday and my mother in law have never “advised” me  “how this can be further improved”.

WHAT IS REQUIRED

Serving : About 12 steamed buns 

Dry Ingredients (A)

• 300 grams of bao flour or Hong Kong flour or low protein flour (水仙面粉）
• 25  grams of corn starch or potato starch （生粉或玉米粉）
• 50 grams of castor sugar （细砂糖）
• Pinches of salt （盐巴）
• 1/4 teaspoon of double acting baking powder/baking powder （双重发粉或发粉）
• 6 grams of instant dry yeast （即时酵母）
• 1/8 teaspoon of ammonia bicarbonate (optional) （臭粉 （可免））
• 15 grams of vegetable shortening or corn oil or cooking oil (白油）

Wet Ingredients (B)

• 160 grams of lukewarm water （温水）

Fillings

• 100 grams of salted egg yolk (steamed until cooked)
• 150 grams of butter, melted
• 100 grams of condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon of custard powder
• 1 tablespoon of milk

STEPS OF PREPARATION

• Mashed the salted eggs yolk using a knife until fine. Set aside. In a big bowl, put all the ingredients and use a hand whisk to whisk it until as fine and as well mixed as possible.

• Chilled the egg yolk mixture in the chiller or freezer until the texture resembles ice cream texture. It should be rather fast and took about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Take out the egg yolk mixture, use an ice cream scoop or any other utensils to divide it into 12 equal portions. Shape it as round as possible and send it back to the chiller until the dough is ready. You have to be fast in this step as it will become sticky again when expose in the air too long.

• Put all dry ingredients (A)  in a whisking bowl. Use a spoon to stir the dry ingredients and make a well in the centre. Add in the lukewarm water.  Use the same spoon to roughly stir it until it form a sticky dough. Use the machine dough hook to knead the dough for another 15-20 minutes or until the dough looks smooth and leaves the side of the whisking bowl. If the dough is too wet for the kneading, add 1-2 tablespoon of flour to continue. You can also do this manually if you don’t prefer to use the machine kneading.

• In a flat surface, dust with some flour, transfer the dough to the flat surface and knead for 3-5 minutes until the dough does not stick to your hand. Shape it into a ball, put it in a bowl. Cover with a wet towel or clingy wrap and let it prove for 30 minutes (or double in size) whenever is earlier. Note that this is a rather soft dough. As such, do add some plain flour or bao flour if it is too soft for you to handle.

• Once the first proofing has done, divide the dough into the number of buns you want to prepare (12 portions). Take one dough, shape it round and use a rolling pin to flatten it.  Put a frozen salted egg yolk mixture on top of the dough. Seal the edges and place the bun in a piece of square paper or cup cake mould (with the smooth part as the top and sealing edges part as the bottom). You can directly put into the steamer tray if you preferred. Let the buns proof until double in size before sending for steaming.

• Meanwhile, heat up the water in the steamer to boil.  You should have adequate water to steam for about 20 minutes. Once the second proofing is done and the water is ready, steam the buns in the steamer for at least 10-15 minutes depending on the size of your buns. Use high heat throughout the steaming process.

• Best served piping hot from the steamer if you want the egg yolk mixture to drip out.

CONCLUSION

I am very happy with the fillings. It did not curdle and slightly drip from the bao. Whether or not it can be called liu sha bao is up to reader’s to decide. It did not flow like what is usually shown in the images of the internet, but it did give an awesome texture and taste that the family likes it .

Hope you like the post today. Cheers and have a nice day.

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