Chinese steamed custard buns are one of the dim sum items like taro buns, siu mai, steamed spareribs, lo mai gai, and turnip cake . It also called nai wong bao (奶皇包). This custard bun recipe is soft and has a lot of sweet yellow creamy custard filling. Let's learn how to make these delicious homemade custard buns for breakfast or snack.
Love Chinese food? Check out these soy sauce noodles, congee, cheung fun Chinese hot dog and scallion pancake recipes.
What is custard buns (奶皇包)?
Chinese steamed custard bun is a type of baozi, bun or bread custard filling. Custard bun also called nai wong bao (奶皇包) which is yellow milk bun. In addition, it originated from southern China and is a very popular Cantonese dim sum item that you can find at most Chinese dim sum restaurants.
Often, custard buns are eaten for breakfast or as a snack. Also, it is a kind of bread that use a steaming method. Therefore, the Chinese called them buns. Besides, steamed custard buns are white flour bread with yellow creamy custard filling.
Traditionally, nai wong bao steams in a bamboo basket and serves as dim sum like lo mai gai and siu mai. And, custard bao is one of my favorite buns that I must order when I have dim sum.
What are the ingredients in nai wong bao (奶皇包) ?
The dough ingredients are flour, milk, yeast, sugar and salt. And, the custard filling ingredients are custard powder, corn starch, milk, butter, sugar and egg.
Cooking tips for how to make Chinese steamed custard buns:
- Put milk, sugar, yeast in a mixer and mix a little bit then wait for 5 minutes. After that, add salt and flour slowly into the mixer. Let the mixer run for 5-10 minutes.
- Take the dough out and cover the dough with a wet cloth. Let it rise around 30-45 minutes at room temperature. My trick to speed up dough rising time is to preheat the oven at 200F then turn off. After that, put the dough in the oven and cover with a wet cloth.
- In a saucepan put milk, butter, egg, sugar, custard powder and cornstarch into a saucepan and mix it well. Then, turn on the fire small to medium and keep stirring until it thickens. Wait until it cools off then roll like a ball.
- In this steamed custard bun recipe, I doubled the filling because I love more custard filling in the buns. Therefore, it yields around 12 smaller or 10 bigger nai wong bao.
- Cut a small piece of parchment paper and place the buns on it to prevent sticking on the bamboo basket and steam it.
FAQs:
Yes, you can refrigerate or freeze custard buns. Nai wong bao (奶皇包) can be refrigerated for few days. It will last longer when you freeze them.
If it straightens out from the refrigerator, the fastest way to warm up leftover custard buns is to microwave them for a few seconds.
On the other hand, if buns are frozen, cover them with a wet paper towel. Then, microwave it for a minute or two depending on your microwave's power.
However, personally I still like custard buns fresh and steamed from a bamboo basket. Normally, I will steam the frozen nau wong bao (奶皇包) for 5-8 minutes.
When you microwave nai wong bao (奶皇包), the best is to cover it with a wet paper towel. Or, steam them in a bamboo basket.
Instructions for how to make custard bun dim sum at home:
Dough:
1. Put 1 cup of milk (at room temperature or warm them a little bit in a microwave, not too hot, just a little warm), 2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of yeast into a mixer bowl, mix a little bit and wait for 5 minutes.
2. In the meanwhile, add ⅛ teaspoon of salt and 2 cups of all purpose flour in a bowl and mix it well.
3. After that, turn on #1 the lowest setting. Slowly add the flour mixture from step 2 into the mixer until the dough comes together. Then, turn on #3 middle high setting. Let the mixer run for 5 minutes.
4. Next, take the dough out and cover the dough with a wet cloth. Let it rise around 30-45 minutes at room temperature. (My trick to speed up dough rising time is to preheat the oven at 200F then turn off. After that, put the dough in the oven and cover with a wet cloth for 15-20 minutes.)
Filling:
5. While waiting for the dough to rise, let's work on the filing. I love more filling, so I double up the filling ingredients. Pour 1 cup & 4 tablespoons of milk, 4 tablespoons of butter, 2 eggs, 1 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of custard powder and ½ cup of cornstarch into a saucepan.
6. Whisk and mix it very well.
7. Then, turn on the fire small to medium and keep stirring it.
8. Until it thickens and let it cool down a little bit.
9. At the same time, cut 12 pieces of parchment paper into square or rectangle shape.
10. Divide custard filling into 12 pieces, roll it like a ball.
11. After the dough rises it doubles.
12. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll it like a ball.
Combine:
13. Roll the bread dough and flatten it by using a rolling pin. (The sides are thinner, the middle is thicker.)
14. Place the filling in the middle of the flattened bread dough.
15. Close it and roll it like a ball. After that, place the buns on the parchment papers. Cover with a damp cloth. Let it rise for 15-20 minutes.
Cooking:
16. After that, place the buns into a bamboo steamer.
17. Steam it for 15 minutes.
Enjoy this delicious Chinese steamed custard bun recipe! Also, check out these coconut buns, Chinese hot dog pineapple bun, garlic cheese breadsticks, sugar donuts and egg tart recipes.
You May Also Like These Recipes:
Subscribe Oh My Food Recipes to get our new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all the latest updates.
Custard Buns
Video
Ingredients
(BREAD DOUGH) BUN:
- 2 cups All purpose flour
- 1 cup Milk
- 2 teaspoons Yeast
- 2 teaspoons Sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
FILLING:
- 1 tablespoon Custard powder
- ¼ cup Corn starch
- ½ cup & 2 tablespoons Milk
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ***(Double the filling if you like more filling)
Instructions
- Put 1 cup of milk (at room temperature or warm them a little bit in a microwave, not too hot, just a little warm), 2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of yeast into a Bosch mixer bowl, mix a little bit and wait for 5 minutes.
- In the meanwhile, add ⅛ teaspoon of salt and 2 cups of all purpose flour in a bowl and mix it well.
- After that, turn on #1 the lowest setting. Slowly add the flour mixture from step 2 into the mixer until the dough comes together. Then, turn on #3 middle high setting. Let the mixer run for 5 minutes.
- Next, take the dough out and cover the dough with a wet cloth. Let it rise around 30-45 minutes at room temperature. (My trick to speed up dough rising time is to preheat the oven at 200F then turn off. After that, put the dough in the oven and cover with a wet cloth for 15-20 minutes.)
- While waiting for the dough to rise, let's work on the filing. I love more filling, so I double up the filling ingredients. Pour 1 cup & 4 tablespoons of milk, 4 tablespoons of butter, 2 eggs, 1 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of custard powder and ½ cup of cornstarch into a saucepan.
- Whisk and mix it very well.
- Then, turn on the fire small to medium and keep stirring it.
- Until it thickens and let it cool down a little bit.
- At the same time, cut 12 pieces of parchment paper into square or rectangle shape.
- Divide custard filling into 12 pieces, roll it like a ball.
- After the dough rises it doubles.
- Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll it like a ball.
- Roll the bread dough and flatten it by using a rolling pin. (The sides are thinner, the middle is thicker.)
- Place the filling in the middle of the flattened bread dough.
- Close it and roll it like a ball. After that, place the buns on the parchment papers. Cover with a damp cloth. Let it rise for 15-20 minutes.
- After that, place the buns into a bamboo steamer.
- Steam it for 15 minutes.
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make Chinese steamed custard buns:
- Put milk, sugar, yeast in a mixer and mix a little bit then wait for 5 minutes. After that, add salt and flour slowly into the mixer. Let the mixer run for 5-10 minutes.
- Take the dough out and cover the dough with a wet cloth. Let it rise around 30-45 minutes at room temperature. My trick to speed up dough rising time is to preheat the oven at 200F then turn off. After that, put the dough in the oven and cover with a wet cloth.
- In a saucepan put milk, butter, egg, sugar, custard powder and cornstarch into a saucepan and mix it well. Then, turn on the fire small to medium and keep stirring until it thickens. Wait until it cools off then roll like a ball.
- In this steamed custard bun recipe, I doubled the filling because I love more custard filling in the buns. Therefore, it yields around 12 smaller or 10 bigger nai wong bao.
- Cut a small piece of parchment paper and place the buns on it to prevent sticking on the bamboo basket and steam it.
Pedro
Hi, thank you for sharing this recipe. I have found zongzi and baozi or steam buns are not available on chinese restaurants. I have few questions, is the steam cooking set on high and is thete any difference steaming on bamboo or using a metal steamer? Thank you very much, I look forward in making these 🙂
Tracy O.
Normally I turn the fire or heat to medium high. You can turn to high heat, just make sure you have enough water for steaming.
Using a bamboo basket to steam it has an aroma from the basket and the evaporated water won’t drip on the top of the buns. However, it is totally ok and fine to use a metal steamer. I have tried both and it works fine. Thank you for your questions!
Pedro
Thank you Tracy for your response. So, I made this for first time today. However, I had few issues... When I did the custard filling I was stiring for over 15 minutes and althought the mix had thicken, when it cooled down was not thick enough to work with hands into a ball. Is there a risk to burn the filling if kept too long?
Tracy O.
Did you use custard powder? Not the custard flavored pudding powder. If the ingredients are the same, it should be thickened around 5-10 minutes after stirring it.
Turn on a small fire and keep stirring it. Yes, it will burn the bottom, so you have to use a small fire and keep stirring it.
If you cannot make it work with your hands because it is not thickened enough, you can just scoop on the flatten dough close and seal it like this taro bun recipe.
https://www.ohmyfoodrecipes.com/taro-bun/
Janet
Does the recipe change if I use instant yeast? Should I still add milk to the yeast?
Tracy O.
Instant yeast does not require blooming which means to add and mix into the ingredients directly. However, you can still add the yeast to the milk.
Caroline
Hi! I don’t have a bamboo steamer so Is it possible to use a metal one?
Tracy O.
Yes, a metal steamer is ok too.
Alissa
Hi! Do you think I could use the custard filling for the baked pineapple bun version or would this only worked for steamed buns? Thanks!
Tracy O.
Hi Alissa,
I think this custard filling should work for baked pineapple buns.
Bee
Just finished making these, and they came out amazing! I decided to double the custard as well and am very glad that I did - it is so tender and delicious! 🥹
Will definitely be making these again. Thank you so much for the recipe Tracy!
Tracy O.
Hi Bee,
Thank you for your comment! I am glad you enjoy it!
Krystal
Is this possible to make without a Bosch mixer?
Tracy O.
Yes, sure! You can knead the dough by hand. Using the Bosch mixer or any mixer just help the process faster.