← Nouns Cooking · Bakery

Ingredients

• 250 ml whole milk
• 100 ml double (heavy) cream
• 2 egg yolks
• 50 g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp Cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 450 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 75 g caster sugar
• 7 g fast-action dried yeast (1 sachet)
• 1½ tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp Salt
• 300 ml whole milk, lukewarm
• 50 g Butter, melted
• 1 egg, beaten, to glaze
• 100 g Icing sugar
• 50 g Desiccated coconut

Method

1. Make the custard. Whisk the yolks, sugar and cornflour with a splash of the milk. Heat the rest of the milk with the cream until steaming, whisk it in, then return to the pan and whisk over medium heat until it boils and turns thick, 2–3 min. Stir in the vanilla, cover the surface and chill for at least 1 hour.
2. For the buns, mix the flour, sugar, yeast, cardamom and salt. Add the warm milk and melted butter and knead for 8–10 min until smooth and elastic. Cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled.
3. Divide the dough into 12 pieces, roll each into a smooth ball and set them on lined trays, well apart. Cover and leave to rise for 30 min.
4. Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, 425°F). Press a deep, wide well into the middle of each bun with two fingers. Brush the dough with beaten egg and fill each well with a heaped tablespoon of custard.
5. Bake for 10–12 min until golden brown. Cool on a rack.
6. Mix the icing sugar with 1–2 tbsp water to a thick icing. Spread it in a ring around the custard on each bun and dip the iced part into the coconut.

Tips

• Press the wells deeply: the dough springs back in the oven and can push the custard out.
• Best eaten on the day; keep leftovers in the fridge.

Sources

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

BBC Food BBC Good Food