Osmanthus Custard Buns — Make a Batch and Your Week Is Sorted
By Vivian
Why You'll Love It
Sharing these osmanthus custard buns today. They need just one rise, and they're better than anything you can buy — honestly by a mile — while being simple to make. Soft the way a cloud or a wad of cotton is soft.
Fermented wheat is gentle on the stomach, and this version is soft and sweet. Make a batch and you don't have to think about staples all week; soft enough that little kids can eat them happily. Everyone go make them!
The moment you fold in a filling you love, the happiness level goes straight up. Promise me you'll try these — they are SO, SO good.
Ingredients
| Custard Filling | |
|---|---|
| 4 egg yolks | ⅔ cup (150 ml) milk |
| ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour | ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch |
| 3 tbsp (20 g) whole milk powder | 2 tbsp (30 ml) corn oil |
| 2½ tbsp (30 g) sugar | |
| Dough | |
|---|---|
| 2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour | 1 tsp (3 g) instant yeast |
| 2 tsp (3 g) dried osmanthus flowers | ⅔ cup (160 ml) water |
Ingredient Notes
- Strain the custard before you cook it — the difference in smoothness is obvious.
- Corn oil is the neutral choice here; peanut oil competes with the flavor and butter buries the osmanthus.
- 2 tsp (3 g) of dried osmanthus is enough — more turns bitter. Mix it into the flour before adding water.
- Use room-temperature yolks; cold ones clump when you whisk them in.
- All-purpose flour, and fold the dough two or three times before rolling for better layers.
Instructions
-
1
Put everything for the custard in a bowl, mix it thoroughly, then strain it into a pan. This one step makes the custard noticeably finer and smoother.
-
2
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it comes together into a mass and stops sticking to the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat, scoop it out, and let it cool.
Be patient here — constant stirring is the only way to avoid scorching and get a perfect custard.
-
3
Put the dough ingredients in a bowl and knead into a smooth dough, then roll it into a sheet, fold it a few times, and finally roll it into a rectangle.
Folding builds layers, and the steamed buns come out with a much better texture.
-
4
Spread the custard evenly over it.
-
5
Spread the cooled custard evenly over the rectangle, then roll it up slowly from one end into a tight log.
Cut the log into equal pieces with a knife and let them rise in the steamer until 1½ times bigger.
-
6
Once risen, bring the water to a boil over high heat, then drop to medium and steam 15 minutes. When the time is up, don't open the lid right away — rest 3 minutes.
That keeps the buns from collapsing in the sudden temperature drop.
-
7
Incredibly fragrant — the moment you lift the lid it's osmanthus and milk. So soft, so good!
Recipe Notes
Osmanthus Custard Buns
only one rise, soft as a cloud, spread with smooth custard and rolled up. Lift the lid and the kitchen fills with osmanthus and milk — make enough for the week.
Time Needed
Prep Ahead
- Stir the custard over medium-low heat until it masses up and stops sticking, then scoop it out and let it cool completely before filling.
- 【Yield】2½ cups (300 g) flour makes one roll cut into 8–10 pieces; one batch of custard is exactly right.
- 【Key ratios】Flour to water ≈ 300:160 with 1 tsp (3 g) yeast. Custard: 4 yolks + ⅔ cup (150 ml) milk + ¼ cup (30 g) each flour and cornstarch + 2 tbsp (30 ml) corn oil.
- 【Heat】Stir the custard over medium-low heat until it masses up and stops sticking, then steam the buns over medium for 15 minutes and rest 3 minutes.
- 【Rising】One rise only — after rolling and cutting, go to 1½ times and steam.
- 【Storage & reheating】Refrigerate 3 days, freeze 2 weeks. The custard can be made a day ahead and chilled.
- 【Common problems】Scorched custard means too high a heat or not scraping the bottom. Collapsed buns mean over-proofing or opening the lid immediately.
Nutrition (per 100 g, estimated)
| Calories | about 284 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | about 7 g |
| Fat | about 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | about 46 g |
| of which sugars | about 13 g |
| Fiber | about 1.2 g |
| Sodium | about 70 mg |
Estimated from the ingredient amounts, not lab tested. One piece is about 2.5 oz (70 g), roughly 199 kcal, calculated at 4 / 9 / 4 kcal per g of protein / fat / carbs.