Steamed Custard Buns (Nai Wong Bao,奶黄包)

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5 from 87 votes

Steamed Custard Buns, or Nai Wong Bao, are soft, fluffy buns filled with a smooth, sweet egg custard. The filling combines egg yolks, butter, sugar, and milk powder into a creamy paste, while the dough is made from bao or cake flour with yeast and baking powder for a tender texture. The buns are steamed to perfection, resulting in a light, pillowy bun enclosing sweet custard.

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

8 mins

Rest

30 mins

Total Time

1 hr 8 mins

Servings: 8 buns

Calories: 199 kcal

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

For the filling

3 egg see note 1, yolk of hard-boiled eggs or cooked salted duck egg yolks
50 g butter unsalted, softened
30 g sugar or 40g if using salted egg yolks
30 g milk powder see note 2 for substitutes, full-fat

For the dough

175 g bao flour see note 3, aka cake flour, or all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon instant dry yeast see note 4
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
90 g water see note 5, lukewarm

Instructions

Prepare the filling

Cup of Yum

Use the back of a spoon to mash the yolks to a fine texture (It’s easier to do while the yolks are warm).
Add sugar, butter and milk powder. Mix very well until a smooth paste forms. Put into the fridge to harden a little.

Make the dough

IF USING HANDS: Mix flour, yeast, baking powder, sugar and oil in a bowl. Add water gradually while mixing with chopsticks/spatula. Combine with your hands to form a rough-looking dough. Rest (covered) for 10 mins then knead again until very smooth.
IF USING A STAND MIXER: Add all the ingredients for the dough into the mixing bowl. Knead on low speed for about 8 mins until a smooth dough forms.

Roll the wrappers

Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Work on one piece at a time and make sure you cover the rest to prevent it from drying out.
With a rolling pin, flatten one piece into a disc-like wrapper, about 9cm in diameter. Ideally, it should be thinner on the edge and thicker in the middle (See the rolling technique in the video above).

Shape the buns

Place a spoonful of the filling in the middle of a wrapper. Seal the bun completely using whatever method that you feel most comfortable with. Repeat to assemble all the buns.

Rest the buns

With the sealed side facing down, place the buns into a steamer basket lined with parchment paper (or in cupcake paper moulds as shown in the post above). Alternatively, brush a thin layer of oil if using a metal/plastic steamer.
Leave to rest for about 30 minutes until they become very light & plump (They will become a little bigger but not double in size).

Steam the buns

Bring water to a full boil in a wok/pot. Put in the steamer basket. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 mins. Serve warm.

Store & reheat

It’s not recommended to store uncooked buns. However, cooked buns freeze very well. Consume within three months.
To reheat: Defrost in the fridge then steam for 3 mins. Alternatively, steam for 6 mins without defrosting.

Notes

Cook raw salted duck egg yolks by boiling in shell, steaming out of shell, or baking at 190°C for 8 minutes; use yolks in filling.
For a dairy-free filling, replace milk powder with traditional custard powder containing egg and milk; avoid cornflour-based custard powders for flavor authenticity.
Use low-gluten flour such as bao or cake flour for soft buns; all-purpose flour may be used as a substitute.
Instant dry yeast can be mixed directly with flour; if using active dry yeast, dissolve in water prior to mixing.
Adjust water quantity as needed; dough should be soft but not sticky.
Roll dough thinner than 9 cm diameter if a thinner skin is desired; aim for thinner edges and thicker center for best texture.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1bun Calories 199kcal (10%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 buns

Amount Per Serving

Calories 199

% Daily Value*

Serving	1bun
Calories	199kcal	10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.