Thai Tea Milk Bun

PASTRY

Oct 17

Milk Bun, Thai Tea Crust, Thai Tea Pastry Cream, Thai Diplomat Cream

Baker Elaine Lau of Sunday Bakeshop | Oakland, CA

INGREDIENTS:

Thai Tea Crust:
Yield: 56 portions
9 grams Thai tea leaves
227 grams butter
369 grams sugar
1 drop orange food gel
113 grams egg yolks
411 grams cake flour
7 grams salt
All-purpose flour for sheeting

Buns:
Yield: 34 buns
113 grams bread flour
300 grams whole milk
300 grams heavy cream
125 grams eggs
175 grams sugar
18 grams salt
25 grams nonfat milk powder
925 grams bread flour
10 grams osmotolerant instant yeast
150 grams butter, room temperature
All-purpose flour for shaping
Coarse sanding sugar

Thai Tea Pastry Cream:
Yield: 142 portions
2.6 kilograms whole milk, plus more as needed
128 grams Thai tea leaves
400 grams egg yolks
600 grams sugar
200 grams cornstarch
1 kilogram butter
10 grams salt

Thai Diplomat Cream:
Whipped cream

METHOD:

For the Thai Tea Crust:
Using a coffee grinder, blend tea leaves into a powder. In a small pot over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in tea powder. Remove from heat and let steep 8 hours or overnight. The following day, place the butter mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add sugar and gel, then mix to combine. Mix in egg yolks. Using a silicone spatula, scrape the sides of the bowl. Add cake flour and salt. Mix until fully incorporated, but not overly whipped. Divide the dough in half. Wrap each piece in plastic. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. The following day, place each piece between 2 floured nonstick, silicone baking mats. Run through a sheeter until each piece reaches a 5-millimeter thickness. Remove baking mats. Punch out round, 20-gram portions. Reserve.

For the Buns:
In a pot, whisk to combine flour, milk, and 300 grams water. Place over medium-high heat and cook, whisking constantly, until it reaches the consistency of thick glue. Remove from heat and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine cream, eggs, sugar, salt, milk powder, flour, yeast, and the roux. Mix until dough comes together from the side of the bowl and it passes the windowpane test. Add butter and mix to combine. Stretch dough on top of itself 3 to 4 times. Cover the bowl with plastic. Set aside to bulk ferment, 30 minutes to 1 hour or until almost double in size. Using a floured finger, gently poke the dough. If the dough bounces back, ferment longer. Dump the dough onto a floured work surface. Deflate and smash out as many bubbles as possible. Divide into 50-gram portions. Roll each portion into a tight ball. Freeze. When ready to use, place dough on sheet trays and refrigerate to thaw, approximately 8 hours or overnight. Let proof at room temperature for 2 hours. Heat convection oven to 345°F. Place 1 Thai Tea Crust over each bun. Dust with sanding sugar. Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until tan and golden. Let cool 20 minutes.

For the Thai Tea Pastry Cream:
In a pot over medium flame, heat milk until scalding. Add tea leaves. Remove from heat, cover, and let cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. The following day, strain through a chinois into a pot, using a ladle to press out as much milk as possible. Weigh. Add enough milk until the mixture reaches 2.4 kilograms. Place over low flame and gently heat. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix to combine yolks and sugar. Mix in cornstarch. While stirring, add warm Thai milk in batches to temper. Transfer the mixture to a clean pot over medium-high flame. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Continue boiling for 5 minutes to cook out starches. Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, blend in butter until emulsified. Stir in salt. Cover the pot with plastic and place over an ice bath to cool. Set aside.

For the Thai Diplomat Cream:
In a bowl, mix to combine one part whipped cream with two parts Thai Tea Pastry Cream. Transfer to a pastry bag for piping. Set aside.

To Assemble and Serve:
Poke a hole in the bottom of each Bun. In a twisting motion, fill with 35 grams Thai Diplomat Cream so you get a little in every bite.

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