Soft & Fluffy Steamed Custard Buns

Separate 3 room temperature egg yolks into a glass bowl, removing as much egg white as possible. Add 75g caster sugar and whisk thoroughly until the egg yolk mixture turns pale yellow. Add 20g cake flour and whisk until smooth with no lumps.

In a saucepan, combine 50g salted butter and 150ml milk. Set over medium heat and warm until butter melts completely and tiny bubbles form around the edge.

Slowly pour half of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk batter while stirring continuously. Pour the egg-milk mixture back into the saucepan over medium heat, stirring non-stop to avoid burning. As soon as the mixture thickens, immediately turn heat to lowest and cook stirring until thick and lumpy.

Transfer cooked custard to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly against the custard surface to prevent skin from forming, and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Scoop chilled custard paste and roll between palms into 10 smooth equal round balls. Place in a container and return to fridge until ready to wrap.

In a large bowl, combine 160g superfine flour, 40g cake flour, 30g wheat starch, 45g icing sugar, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 3/4 tsp instant yeast. Pour in 130ml room temperature water while stirring with chopsticks until a rough shaggy dough forms.

Transfer shaggy dough onto work table. Add 30ml vegetable oil in 3 separate batches, kneading thoroughly between each addition. Continue kneading for about 10 minutes until the dough becomes soft, elastic, smooth, and does not tear easily when pulled.

Roll the kneaded smooth dough into a long uniform cylinder. Using a dough scraper, divide the log into 10 equal dough pieces (about 43-44g each).

Cover divided dough pieces with a clean tea towel to prevent drying out and let rest for 5 minutes.

Flatten a dough portion and roll into a disc about 9.5cm in diameter, keeping the center thick and the edges thin. Place one chilled custard ball in the center, wrap the dough up around it, and pinch the top tightly to seal. Roll gently between palms into a smooth ball and place in a cupcake paper liner inside bamboo steamer.

Cover bamboo steamer with its lid and proof buns at room temperature until the dough feels light, soft, supple, and plump. (Takes 10 minutes for superfine flour; 20-30 minutes for plain/all-purpose flour). Gently press dough surface to check: it should spring back slowly.

Place bamboo steamer over a wok filled with unboiled room temperature water. Turn flame to high heat and steam buns for 12 to 15 minutes.

Turn off stove and let the steamer rest undisturbed with the lid closed for 10 minutes before opening.