← Nouns Cooking · Japanese

Ingredients

• 250 g Strong bread flour
• 30 g Sugar
• 4 g instant dried yeast
• ¾ tsp Salt
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 120 ml lukewarm milk
• 30 g unsalted butter, softened
• 240 ml Milk
• 3 egg yolks
• 60 g Sugar
• 20 g Cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 tbsp Butter
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg, beaten, for glazing

Method

1. Mix the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add the egg and milk and knead for 10 min, then work in the butter and knead for 5–8 min more, until smooth and stretchy. Cover and leave somewhere warm for 1 hour, until doubled.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the yolks, sugar and cornflour until smooth. Heat the milk until steaming, pour it slowly onto the yolks while whisking, then return to the pan.
3. Whisk the custard over medium-low heat until it thickens and bubbles, then keep whisking for 1 minute more. Off the heat, beat in the butter and vanilla. Press cling film onto the surface and chill until cold.
4. Knock back the dough, divide into 8 balls and rest for 10 min. Roll each into a 12 x 9 cm oval, spoon about 40 g custard onto one half and fold the dough over, pressing the edges to seal.
5. Set the buns on a lined tray and make 4 short snips along the curved edge of each with scissors, so they look like little gloves. Cover and prove for 40 min, until puffy. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
6. Brush with beaten egg and bake for 12–15 min, until glossy and golden. Cool on a rack and keep any leftovers in the fridge.

Tips

• Chill the custard until really firm; warm custard is almost impossible to wrap.
• Contains wheat, egg and dairy.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Japanese Cooking 101 Just One Cookbook