
Super soft and delicious Chinese steamed custard buns using discard sourdough starter! This ultimate dessert that you found at yum cha restaurant can now be make at home! Fresh and delicate bun texture with sweet and creamy custard fillings. What’s not to love?

Do you know you can make your own steamed buns at home without making a trip to the Yum Cha restaurant or Asian grocery store?
Have a sourdough starter and looking for a new recipe?
YES! This recipe is perfect to use up your discard sourdough starter to make the most delicious Asian steamed bun that’s fills with sweet and creamy custard filling.
WHAT IS CUSTARD BUN?
Chinese steamed custard bun is a type of milk bread that fills with custard filling and cook through steaming method. It called Nai Huang Bao (奶黄包) in Chinese. It is also one of the very popular yum cha dishes that you can order at the Chinese Yum Cha restaurant.
LET’S LOOK AT WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHINESE STEAMED CUSTARD BUNS USING DISCARD SOURDOUGH STARTER
Bread dough
- Plain flour
- Corn flour
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Yeast
- Salt
- Milk
- Discard sourdough starter
Custard Filling
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Milk
- Corn flour
- Butter
- Salt

Thanks for stopping by!
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it went in the comments below. Snap a photo and tag @dreamtocookblog with #dreamtocook❤ if you have an Instagram account. I love seeing your creations!
MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVE IT?
MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVE IT?
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RECIPE
![]() CHINESE STEAMED CUSTARD BUNS USING DISCARD SOURDOUGH STARTER | ||
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Prep time: 45 minutes tOTAL tIME: 4 HOURS | cooking time: 15 minutes | serve: 8 |
INGREDIENTS: Custard Filling – 3 eggs – 1/3 cup sugar – 2/3 cup milk – 1/3 cup corn flour – 3 tbsp unsalted butter – pinch of salt Steamed Bun Dough – 1 cup all purpose flour – 1/2 cup corn flour – 3 tsp sugar – 1 tsp baking powder – 1 tsp yeast – 1/2 tsp salt – 1/2 cup lukewarm milk – 1 cup discard sourdough starter | ||

INSTRUCTIONS:
CUSTARD FILLING – In a saucepan, whisk in eggs and sugar. Add milk and turn on low heat. Whisk until mixture is smooth and sugar is resolved. – Add corn flour and whisk until mixture is incorporated. Add butter and salt and continue whisk for 2-3 minutes until mixture’s thicken up and custard like. Keep it at the lowest heat at all time and do not overcooked the mixture. ![]() – Transfer custard to a bowl and let’s cool down slightly. Wrap with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. ![]() DOUGH – In a stand mixer, add all the dough ingredients. Beat on high speed for 5 minutes or until mixture is soft and smooth. ![]() – Place dough in a greased bowl cover with plastic wrap and let is rest until doubled in size. About 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Test it with your lightly flour finger by poke a hole in the centre. If the dough spring back slowly and leave a small indent, it is ready for the next step. ![]() – Punch down the dough to let the air bubbles out. Place dough on a lightly flour surface, roll it into a log and cut into 8 equal pieces. ![]() – Take one dough and cover the remaining with plastic wrap to avoid drying out. Use your hands to roll and shape the dough pieces into dough balls. – Using a rolling pin, roll each into a round disk, making quarter turn with each roll. Roll to leave the centre thick; thinner edges are easier to pleat. – Place about 1-1 1/2 tablespoon of filling in the centre of each dough round, flat side up. ![]() – Gather the edges by first pleating counterclockwise, and then twisting to seal securely. Place the bun round-side up on a square piece of baking paper. Let it rest and covered for 30 minutes. ![]() ![]() – Place the buns in the steamer fills with cold water. Cover the steamer but leave a small gap to prevent the steam from dripping onto the buns directly. If you have a steam cloth or clean muslin wrap, place it on the steamer to help with steam absorption. Bring to boil and steam for 15 minutes. ![]() ![]() – Let the steamed buns sit for 3-5 minutes in the steamer before opening the lid. The sudden change of temperature will cause wrinkles on the buns surface. – Serve warm and enjoy! |
These look so cute and delicious!
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Thank you 😊 They are very creamy and tasty 😋
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they look sooooo goood!!!
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Thank you so much 😊
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These look wonderful, and what a great use for the discard!
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Thanks Dorothy! I know right, I always feel guilty of throwing those starter out! Want to make full use of them 😉
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Luckily, since yeast has been hard to come by, I’ve been able to distribute many jars to friends who have decided to bake bread!
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Aww so nice of you! Yea I agree the commercial yeast are not available on the supermarket shelf all the time. It’s great to have your own one handy🤷♀️
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Looks delicious 😋😋, I had these just once and I loved it ❤️
There’s just one place here in Pune where we get these custard buns and due to the lockdown it was not accessible, I am so happy you shared this recipe. I think it will be manageable for me to make it, you explained very beautifuly. Thank you so much 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤗🤗
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Thanks Shaheen! These buns are absolutely irresistible! Best serve them warm. It’s a shame that lock down restrict a lot of our usual activities. I hope you like this recipe ☺️
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Thanks dear, I hope I will be able to recreate this soon 😀
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Look forward to it 😍
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Looks so tasty
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Thank you 😊
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Yum
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Thanks 😊
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