Cream Pan (クリームパン, Kurīmu Pan)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small heavy saucepan
• •Whisk
• •Rubber spatula
• •Rolling pin
• •Bench scraper, or a small sharp knife
• •Parchment-lined baking sheet

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the custard

   Warm the 250ml milk until small bubbles gather at the edge. In a bowl, whisk the yolks, 50g sugar, and cake flour until pale and smooth. Pour in the warm milk slowly while whisking, then return everything to the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thick, glossy, and able to hold a line from the spoon. It must be thicker than a pouring custard, because thin cream will run when the bun bakes.

   Keep the spoon moving across the bottom and corners of the pan. Custard catches first where the spoon forgets to visit.
2. 2

   Chill the cream

   Take the custard off the heat and stir in the vanilla and 15g butter until smooth. Spread it on a shallow tray, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and chill until cold and firm, at least 1 hour. The wrap prevents a skin, and the shallow tray cools it quickly so the custard won't soften the dough later.

3. 3

   Mix the dough

   In a bowl, combine the bread flour, 30g sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the lukewarm milk and about half the beaten egg, reserving the rest for the egg wash. Mix until no dry flour remains, then knead until the dough begins to smooth out. Add the softened butter and knead again until the dough is supple, elastic, and only lightly tacky.

   Butter goes in after the flour has hydrated. Add it too early and it coats the flour, slowing the gluten you need for a tender but strong wrapper.
4. 4

   Let it rise

   Shape the dough into a ball, set it in a lightly buttered bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled, about 60 to 75 minutes. The dough should look puffy and relaxed, and a floured fingertip pressed into it should leave an indentation that slowly eases back.

5. 5

   Divide and rest

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces, about 50g each. Shape each piece into a small ball, cover, and rest for 15 minutes. This rest is not idleness. It lets the gluten loosen, so the dough rolls out without snapping back and squeezing the custard later.

6. 6

   Fill the buns

   Roll one dough ball into an oval about 12cm long. Spoon 30 to 35g chilled custard onto one half, keeping a clean border around the edge. Fold the dough over the custard, press the edge firmly to seal, then use a bench scraper or knife to cut 4 short slits into the rounded sealed edge, making the glove shape. Do not cut into the custard pocket. The slits help the outer edge expand neatly, while the uncut spine keeps the cream held inside.

   If custard touches the sealing edge, wipe it away before pressing. Cream is slippery, and slippery dough does not seal.
7. 7

   Proof and glaze

   Set the filled buns on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between them. Cover loosely and proof until slightly puffy, 30 to 40 minutes. Mix the reserved beaten egg with 1 teaspoon milk and brush the tops lightly. A thin glaze gives color without weighing down the soft skin.

8. 8

   Bake and cool

   Bake at 180 C for 15 to 18 minutes, until the buns are golden on top and pale gold along the sides. Cool on a rack until just warm, then let them cool fully if you want the custard to set cleanly before biting. Eat from the uncut spine toward the fingers, the neat way to meet the cream first without chasing it across the table.

Chef Tips

• •Use whole milk for both dough and custard. Cream pan is a plain bun, so thin milk makes itself known, and not politely.
• •Chill the custard until firm before shaping. A warm filling turns soft dough into a small negotiation you didn't need to have.
• •Weigh the dough pieces if you can. Equal buns bake together, and the custard stays centered instead of drifting toward the thinnest wrapper.
• •Seal with a clean border. The best filling in the world cannot help you if it is sitting on the seam.
• •Cream pan is best the day it's baked, but it becomes a fine make-ahead comfort if you cool it fully and warm only the bread side gently before serving.

Advance Preparation

• •The custard can be made 1 day ahead and kept refrigerated with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface.
• •Filled and baked buns keep 1 day at cool room temperature, or 2 days refrigerated. Bring them back toward room temperature before eating so the crumb softens.
• •For longer storage, freeze fully cooled buns in a sealed bag for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator, then warm briefly in a low oven to refresh the bread.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 100g)