Name: Steamed Egg Custard Buns
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 140 min
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; ½ cup warm water; 2 Tbsp. sugar; ½ tsp. instant dry yeast; ½ tsp. baking powder; 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil; 2 salted duck egg yolks; ½ cup milk; 2 Tbsp. sugar; 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter; 1 Tbsp. instant custard powder; 1 fresh egg yolk; 1 ½ tsp. gelatin

Steamed Egg Custard Buns

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Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 10

Resting Time: 1 40

Total Time: 2 20

Servings:

Calories: 364kcal

Ingredients

For the dough:

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup warm water
2 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. instant dry yeast
½ tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

For the filling:

2 salted duck egg yolks
½ cup milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. instant custard powder
1 fresh egg yolk
1 ½ tsp. gelatin

Instructions

Steam the duck egg yolks over medium heat for 15 minutes. Mash into a paste.
In a small saucepan, add the mashed duck egg yolks, 2/3 of the milk, gelatin powder, fresh egg yolk, melted butter, sugar, and custard powder. Mix well. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens into a paste.
Remove from the heat and stir in the reserved milk until combined. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour. Form into 8 equal-sized balls, cover, and chill in the fridge.
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and baking powder.
Add warm water and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 min.
Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Flatten each dough ball into a circle, leaving the center thicker than the edges.
Add a ball of egg yolk filling to the center of each dough circle. Press it down to compact tightly. Gather the edges of the dough and pinch them up and together, twisting the dough to seal the filling inside.
Place each bun on a piece of parchment paper with the uneven side down and shape them taller with your hands. Cover and let them rest for 10 minutes.
Steam the buns over high heat for 8-10 minutes, until they become fluffy and fully cooked. Then turn off the heat and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.
Serve the buns warm and enjoy the delicious, oozing egg custard filling!

Nutrition

Soft Steamed Egg Custard Buns, also known as Liu Sha Bao, are an admired dim sum dish in Cantonese cuisine. These buns are filled with a delicious, oozy, golden-yellow egg custard filling that is made with salted duck egg yolks, milk, sugar, and butter.

Liu Sha Bao are steamed until soft and fluffy, with the filling oozing out when you take a bite. Because of this, they’re also called steamed custard lava buns. The dish originated in Guangzhou, China, and has since become popular in many parts of the world.

Why You’ll Love This Liu Sha Bao Recipe

If you’re a fan of sweet and savory flavors combined, then soft steamed egg custard buns are the perfect dish for you. The salted duck eggs add so much umami and just the right amount of saltiness to the luscious custard.

These steamed custard lava buns are like biting into a sweet cloud. The warm and fluffy buns, combined with the rich and creamy egg custard filling, make for a delightful treat that will leave you wanting more.

Liu sha bao are easy to make at home and exceptionally freezer-friendly, so you can enjoy them anytime you want! I like making a big batch, freezing half, and then I can steam some whenever I want some dim sum.

Plus, these soft steamed egg custard buns are super cute. The gooey custard filling reveal is totally Instagramable. Get ready to impress your guests (or followers)!

What Ingredients Do I Need To Make Liu Sha Bao?

If you don’t have salted duck eggs, you can use regular egg yolks and add a pinch of salt! Make sure to check the Variations and Substitutions section for instructions.

For the dough (makes 8 buns):

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup warm water
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. instant dry yeast
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

For the filling (makes 8 fillings, each about 0.9 oz.):

2 salted duck egg yolks
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. instant custard powder
1 fresh egg yolk
1 ½ tsp. gelatin

How To Make Cantonese Egg Custard Lava Buns

Step 1: Steam and mash the salted duck egg yolks

Steam the salted duck egg yolks over medium heat for 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and mash with a fork or a meat cleaver.

Step 2: Mix ingredients in a saucepan and ensure gelatin dissolves

In a small saucepan, add the salted duck egg yolks, 2/3 of the milk, gelatin powder, fresh egg yolk, melted butter, sugar, and instant custard powder. Mix well to dissolve the gelatin.

Step 3: Cook on low heat until mixture forms a thick paste

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens into a paste. Remove from the heat and stir in the reserved milk until combined. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

Step 4: Shape custard into balls and chill while preparing the dough

Once chilled, form the custard into 8 equal-sized balls, cover, and chill in the fridge or freezer while you prepare the dough.

Step 5: Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, instant dry yeast, and baking powder. Mix well.

Step 6: Add liquids to the mix and knead the dough, then let it rest

Add warm water and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Step 7: Divide and shape the dough into thick-centered circles

Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Flatten each dough ball into a circle, leaving the center thicker than the edges.

Step 8: Insert the egg yolk filling and secure it within the dough circle

Add a ball of egg yolk filling to the center of each dough circle. Press it down to compact tightly. Use your forefinger and thumb to squeeze as you push the wrapper up. Gather the edges of the dough and pinch them together, twisting the dough to seal the filling inside.

Step 9: Position buns on parchment, reshape, and let them rest

Place each bun on a piece of parchment paper or muffin paper with the uneven side down and shape them taller with your hands. Cover them with plastic wrap and let them rest for 10 minutes.

Step 10: Steam the egg custard lava buns

Steam the buns over high heat for 8-10 minutes, until they become fluffy and fully cooked.

Step 11: Turn off heat and let buns sit covered for 10 minutes

Then turn off the heat and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before uncovering.

Step 12: Serve the buns warm and enjoy!

Serve the buns warm and enjoy the delicious, oozing egg custard filling!

Notes & Tips

Be sure to let the custard filling cool down before using it to fill the buns. If it’s too liquid, you won’t be able to shape it into balls and work the dough around it.
When steaming the buns, be sure to leave enough space between them so they don’t stick together. Steam them in batches if necessary.
If you’re using active dry yeast instead of instant dry yeast, let it proof with warm water and sugar before adding it to the dry ingredients.
After the cooking time is up, make sure to wait 10 minutes before opening the steamer, or else the buns will collapse. Soft steamed custard buns are all about timing.
Start counting the steaming time when the water starts to boil and you can see steam coming out of the steamer.
Make sure to use warm water when making the dough, as this will help activate the yeast.
You can use a bamboo steamer or a metal steamer to steam the buns.
Cover the prepared buns with plastic wrap while they’re proofing and while the first batch is steaming. This will prevent the outer layer of the buns from drying out.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the buns warm and fresh out of the steamer. But make sure to wait 10 minutes before opening the steamer or else the buns will collapse.

You can serve the buns with a side of soy sauce or sweet chili sauce for dipping. Or drizzle some melted white chocolate for a sweeter dessert.

Add a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top of the buns for added flavor and texture. Enjoy these buns as a dessert or as a snack any time of the day.

Variations & Substitutions

You can use other fillings besides custard, such as red bean paste, lotus seed paste, or even savory fillings like pork or chicken.

Instead of salted duck egg yolks, you can use regular fresh egg yolks. Add a pinch of salt if you’re a fan of sweet and savory flavors.

You can add a touch of vanilla extract to the custard filling to give it a more complex flavor.

Optionally omit the gelatin and freeze the filling in molds instead. Add it to a piping back and divide it into 8 half-sphere molds. Freeze overnight.

Where Can I Find Salted Duck Eggs?

You can typically find salted duck eggs in the frozen section at your local Asian market, but it’s also possible to make salted eggs at home. Since duck eggs are harder to get than chicken eggs, just use large chicken eggs for this recipe.

How To Make Salted Eggs At Home

I recommend watching this video tutorial on how to make salted eggs at home. But here’s a quick step-by-step instruction for easy salted eggs:

First, gently rinse a carton of eggs in cool water. Don’t discard the egg carton.

Second, get a fresh bowl of water and add 3 tablespoons of vinegar. Soak the eggs in the vinegar water to soften the eggshells for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare 3 tablespoons of salt in a small bowl. And 3-4 tablespoons of rice wine (or any other spirit that is at least 40% alcohol) to another small bowl.

Now, take the eggs out of the vinegar solution one at a time and dry them with a clean towel.

Prepare a square of plastic wrap (about 7×8 inches large).

Soak one egg in the rice wine, then roll it in salt, and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining eggs, placing them back in the egg carton.

Wrap the carton in a plastic bag and let the eggs cure in a cool spot in the kitchen for 4 weeks.

After 4 weeks of curing, the eggs will be thicker and the yolk solid. You can freeze any yolks you don’t plan on using immediately. And it’s as simple as that!

What Are The Two Types Of Custard Buns?

Two types of Cantonese baozi are known as “custard buns”. In this recipe, we’re making the modern version of custard buns called Liu Sha Bao using salted duck egg yolks with a gooey, runny filling.

Liu sha bao means “running sand” or “quicksand”, and it refers to how the filling flows out like lava. These molten custard salted egg buns originated in the 90s, but are now the more popular variety amongst the two thanks to the sweet and salty combo as well as the attractive oozy filling.

The classic kind of custard bun is called Nai Huang Bao and the custard is more like your typical pudding-like custard but made with whole eggs. Nai Huang Bao translates to “steamed custard buns”, and they’re still a Cantonese dim sum favorite.