From a Pot: Raspberry Vanilla Custard Buns

TangZhong

• Flour: 25 g

• Water: 130 ml

Dough

• Flour: 360 g

• Sugar: 60 g

• Dry yeast: 7 g

• Egg: 1

• Salt: 1 tsp

• Milk: 100 ml

• Butter: 25 g

Egg wash

• Egg: 1

Raspberry filling

• Raspberries: 100 g

Vanilla pastry cream filling

• Egg yolks: 3

• Sugar: 50 g

• Milk: 350 ml

• Whipping cream: 50 ml

• Salt: 0.2 tsp

• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp

• Butter: 25 g

• Cornstarch: 25 g

Raspberry cream cheese frosting

• Cream cheese: 200 g

• Powder sugar: 60 g

• Salt: 0.2 tsp

• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp

• Rum: 1 tsp

• Dehydrated raspberries: 1 tbsp

1. Slowly heat the flour and water in a sauce pan while stirring constantly to obtain a thick paste. This will take up to about 5 minutes.
2. Wait for the paste to cool to room temperature before use.

1. Put flour, salt, sugar and dry yeast in a large bowl. Mix to combine. Add an egg, lukewarm milk, room temperature butter, orange peel and Tang zhong paste. Knead all the ingredients well to get a smooth, elastic dough.
2. The dough must remain sticky, so be careful not to add too much flour.
3. Place the dough in a bowl lightly coated with oil and leave to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes to one hour. I let it rise in the oven at 30 degrees Celsius (86 F). The dough is ready when it triples in size.

1. Heat the raspberries in a saucepan for about 5 minutes until soft. You can use fresh or frozen raspberries.

1. In a saucepan on a medium heat, cook the milk and cream until the mixture only just comes to a boil.
2. While the milk is heating in a bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, vanilla extract and 3 large egg yolks until smooth.
3. Slowly pour half of the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
4. Then transfer the egg mixture into the rest of the milk in a saucepan and cook on a medium heat while whisking. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture starts to boil. When it starts to boil, cook for another minute while whisking.
5. Remove from the heat and add in the butter. Stir until the butter has melted and fully incorporated into the cream. Strain through a sieve to get a smooth cream. Cool to room temperature.

1. Roll out the dough. Punch it down to release the air, then place it on a floured surface or on a big floured kitchen towel. Roll it out with a lightly floured rolling pin. Roll it into a rectangular shape, about 30 x 45 cm.
2. When you rolled out the dough, first spread the vanilla cream filling evenly over it then top it with raspberry filling.
3. Roll it into a tight log and cut it with a sharp knife or string into even-sized slices (about 5 cm).
4. Grease the bottom and sides of a baking tray with butter, or line it with parchment paper. Then place the cut raspberry buns inside. Place the cut site up.
5. Cover the rolls with a kitchen towel and let them rise for about 1 hour, or until double the size.
6. Before baking the raspberry vanilla buns, brush them with egg wash if you wish to have this shiny look. Simply crack an egg in a small cup, whisk it with a fork and then brush the egg wash over them with a brush or a spoon.
7. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 F) and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

1. Mix cream cheese, vanilla, rum and sugar until smooth. Taste as you go and add more sugar or rum if you wish, based on your preference. Add dehydrated raspberries and mix to combine.
2. Top the raspberry vanilla custard buns with frosting when serving.