CUSTARD PAU (奶黃包)

(STRAIGHT DOUGH METHOD)

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Ingredients:

Makes 12

    170g cake flour

    170g pau flour

    1/4 tsp salt

    45g castor sugar

    1 1/2 tsp instant yeast

    160g water

    10g shortening

Custard filling:

    10g custard powder

    50g tung min flour (wheat starch)

    100g castor sugar (amended on 18-04-06)

    100ml milk

    50g butter

    1 no. large egg, lightly beaten.

Methods:

1. Sift cake flour, pau flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Combine castor sugar, yeast and water with flours. Blend to mix well. Beat using dough hook for 2-3 minutes until a smooth dough is formed.

2. Add in shortening. Continue to knead until the dough is smooth and elastic (for about 10 minutes) (Note 1).

3. Prove dough for 60-90 minutes until dough passes the finger-tip test (Note 2).

4. Meanwhile, prepare custard. Combine custard powder, tung min flour and castor sugar in a non-stock pan. Add milk and stir mixture over low heat till well mixed (Picture 1). Add butter. When butter has dissolved completely, turn off heat. Keep stirring mixture while gradually adding in beaten egg (Picture 2 & 3).

5. When dough has passed the finger-tip test, divide dough into 12 equal portions (about 45g each). Roll dough into rounds, covered with a damp cloth and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

6. Use a rolling pin to roll out a portion of dough such that edges are thinner than the central part. Place some custard filling in the centre and wrap to form a pau (pleat or round as you preferred). Place pau on a piece of parchment paper. Repeat for remaining dough.

7. Prove pau for 15-20 minutes.

8. Boil water in a steamer.  Steam custard paus over rapid boiling water for 10 minutes. Serve while paus are still hot.

Notes:

1. Unlike bread dough, dough for pau does not have to be kneaded to the thin membrane stage. Knead until gluten is formed in dough.

2. Use the "finger-tip" test to check if the dough has fully risen. Press dough with your finger tip. If the impression stays, it is ready to go on to shaping. If the impression spring back, continue proving.

3. Please adjust water content of this recipe. Remember amount of water required depends on type of flour used, type of liquid used, temperature and humidity of atmosphere at the time of making the pau.
4. Avoid water condensate at steamer's lid from dropping to the pau. Dry lid with a cloth every time you remove the cover of the steamer.
5. Important notes for the making of custard:
   - Cook custard at slow heat.
   - For a smooth, non-lumpy custard, keep stirring at all times.
   - Add milk into the dry ingredients a little at a time. Keep stirring at all times.
   - Lightly beat the egg in a bowl before pouring it little by little in to the mixture. Keep stirring.
   - For softer custard, do not cook custard for too long before adding egg. This is to prevent it from drying up too much.

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