Asian custard buns with vanilla

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 2 egg yolks
• 30 g sugar
• 20 g butter
• 200 ml milk
• 2 pots of vanilla extract or a bottle of baking flavor
• 1 bag(s) of vanilla sugar (only when using baking flavor)
• 1 vanilla pod(s), including the pulp
• 20 g cornstarch
• 260 g flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 26 g sugar
• 4 g salt
• 3 g fresh yeast or
• 1 bag(s) of dry yeast, if you don’t have fresh yeast
• 160 ml milk, lukewarm
• 10 g sunflower oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest period approx. 1 day; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 1 day 1 hour 40 minutes

It’s best to make these Asian custard buns the day before. For the filling, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar well. Melt the butter in a saucepan until it bubbles. Stir in the milk, vanilla extract (or 1 bottle of baking flavoring, vanilla sugar, but only if using baking flavoring), and the vanilla bean seeds and heat. Then add to the sugar and egg yolk mixture and stir until everything is well dissolved. Add the cornstarch and stir again until no lumps remain. Heat the mixture on the stovetop. Be sure to stay there and stir the whole time to prevent burning. (It’s best to use a wooden or plastic spatula). The mixture is ready when it’s nice and thick. Then pour the pudding into a plastic container (preferably square) and let it cool. The quickest way to do this is to put it in the freezer for 20 minutes. Once cooled, divide into 6 equal pieces and form into balls. Return to the tin and freeze for at least 3 hours, or preferably overnight. For the dough, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt well, then stir in the dried yeast (if using fresh yeast, dissolve it in small pieces in the milk). Warm the milk and pour it in. Stir with a spatula and then continue kneading with your hands. Then knead the oil into the dough; this takes about 3-5 minutes. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for one hour. Then divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and form into balls. Let it rest for another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat water in a large pot with a steamer insert. After 5 minutes, flatten the balls and place the frozen custard balls in the center. Shape the dough around them and press down firmly. Place the custard buns in the steamer insert and let them rise slightly in the hot steam for 12 minutes. Bring the water to a boil and steam the rolls for 30 minutes.