These vegan, gluten-free Custard Baozi are insanely fluffy – literally like eating sweet clouds! The filling is pretty straight forward to make and also works in so many other dishes. I am so obsessed with these steamed Chinese buns. They are so versatile because not only can you choose what to fill them with but you could have them for every meal for the day filled with sweet or savoury ingredients.
I learnt this recipe from a friend’s grandma whilst living in China, Hunan province to be precise. I found the sealing quite tricky at first, for both buns and dumplings (which I have a recipe for too). Even when I figured it out, my mate’s grandmother was making these bad boys at three times the speed! She filled some with tofu and pickles for me and some just with sugar (she filed hers with minced pork in a delicious brown gravy).
Why is this Good for Me?
- Plant milk is usually fortified with minerals such as calcium so it is a great source of these particular nutrients. Calcium is essential in maintaining our bone health and also for other metabolic processes such as nerve signalling.
Questions about Custard Baozi
How to make Dough for Custard Baozi
To make baozi dough start by adding yeast to warm plant milk and leave for 5-10 minutes. In a large bowl, add flour and tapioca starch and mix. Add milk, maple syrup and rapeseed oil to the flour and mix briefly with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. Transfer to a surface dusted with flour and knead for 10 minutes. Place back in bowl and cover loosely with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for 1 ½ hours.
How to make vegan custard
To make vegan custard start by making a paste with the plant milk and cornstarch. Pour into a saucepan along with turmeric, coconut milk, vanilla extract, melted vegan butter, maple syrup and agar agar. Bring to a simmer whilst stirring continuously to avoid any lumps then remove from the heat.
Fold in the mashed potato and make into a mushy dough then leave to chill in the freezer for 30 minutes (or fridge for 1.5 hours).
How to assemble custard baozi
When the dough has proved, knead another 3 minutes then break into 20 pieces and shape into balls. Roll each ball out using a rolling pin until around 7cm in diameter. Place into palm of hand then add heaped tbsp of chilled custard into centre. Gather the dough so that all ends meet at the top of the custard and pinch tightly to seal.
Place on baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, cover loosely with clingfilm and allow filled buns to rest for 30 minutes. Place in steamer (ensure they do not come into contact with water), leaving a space of around 5cm between each bun. Steam for 10 minutes then cool down for 2 minutes before serving.
What are baozi?
Baozi are a type of steamed bun from China. They can be sweet or savoury, plain or filled with various ingredients such as red bean paste, meat, vegetables, custard and even soup. Though they are usually steamed, they can also be fried to achieve a crispy base.
What if my custard is too runny?
If the custard is too runny, this problem can be resolved either by adding another potato or a little extra cornstarch or agar agar powder to the custard (before potato has been added) and heating again.
Custard Baozi Substitutions
- The filling for the bun can be sweet or savoury – typical fillings include red bean paste, pickled vegetables, cabbage or tofu (minced pork is also a traditional filling). Usually with savoury fillings, the pleated side is face-up rather than face down and has a small hole in the top as it is twisted and sealed using a different technique.
- The flour used for the dough can be gluten-free – just ensure the flour mix contains xantham gum or you may need to add some.
- Sugar can be used instead of maple syrup.
- Either vegan butter or coconut oil can be used.
- Coconut milk or plant milk can be subbed or used in different quantities- if adding more plant milk compared to coconut milk, add a little more constarch as it is much less creamy and thinner than coconut milk.
- White potato can be used instead of sweet potato as it is used simply for textural purposes, though the colour of the filling will be less vibrant.
- Constarch can be replaced with other types of starch such as cassava, tapioca or potato starches.
- Rapeseed oil can be replaced with vegan butter or coconut oil.
These Custard Baozi are…
- Fluffy
- Vanilla flavoured
- Soft
- Steamed
- Refined sugar-free
- Eggless
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- Plant-based
Shopping List
Food
- 1 large sweet potato peeled and mashed
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 400 ml coconut milk (1 can)
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp vegan butter melted (or coconut oil)
- 1 tbsp agar agar powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 500g plain flour / gluten-free flour
- 1 tsp dry active yeast
- 90g tapioca starch
- 475 ml plant milk
- 6 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
Equipment
- Bamboo steamer (or regular steamer)
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Large bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Saucepan
More Recipes to Try…
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Custard Baozi
Ingredients
Custard
- 1 large sweet potato peeled and mashed
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 400 ml coconut milk 1 can
- 100 ml plant milk
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp vegan butter melted or coconut oil
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp agar agar powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dough
- 500 g plain flour / gluten-free flour
- 1 tsp dry active yeast
- 90 g tapioca starch
- 375 ml plant milk
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
Instructions
- First start with the dough by adding the yeast to the warmed plant milk and leave for 5-10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, add flour and tapioca starch and mix.
- Add milk, maple syrup and rapeseed oil to the flour and mix briefly with a wooden spoon until a dough forms.
- Transfer to a surface dusted with flour and knead for 10 minutes.
- Place back in bowl and cover loosely with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for 1 ½ hours.
- In the mean time, prepare custard by making a paste with the plant milk and cornstarch.
- Pour into a saucepan along with turmeric, coconut milk, vanilla extract, melted vegan butter, maple syrup and agar agar.
- Bring to a simmer, around 10 minutes, whilst stirring continuously to avoid any lumps then remove from the heat.
- Fold in the mashed potato and make into a mushy dough then leave to chill in the freezer for 30 minutes (or fridge for 1.5 hours).
- When the dough has proved, knead another 3 minutes then break into 20 pieces and shape into balls.
- Roll each ball out using a rolling pin until around 7cm in diameter.
- Place into palm of hand then add heaped tbsp of chilled custard into centre.
- Gather the dough so that all ends meet at the top of the custard and pinch tightly to seal.
- Place on baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, cover loosely with clingfilm and allow filled buns to rest for 30 minutes.
- Place in steamer (ensure they do not come into contact with water), leaving a space of around 5cm between each bun.
- Steam for 10 minutes then cool down for 2 minutes before serving.
Notes
- The filling for the bun can be sweet or savoury – typical fillings include red bean paste, pickled vegetables, cabbage or tofu (minced pork is also a traditional filling). Usually with savoury fillings, the pleated side is face-up rather than face down and has a small hole in the top as it is twisted and sealed using a different technique.
- The flour used for the dough can be gluten-free – just ensure the flour mix contains xantham gum or you may need to add some.
- Sugar can be used instead of maple syrup.
- Either vegan butter or coconut oil can be used.
- Coconut milk or plant milk can be subbed or used in different quantities- if adding more plant milk compared to coconut milk, add a little more constarch as it is much less creamy and thinner than coconut milk.
- White potato can be used instead of sweet potato as it is used simply for textural purposes, though the colour of the filling will be less vibrant.
- Constarch can be replaced with other types of starch such as cassava, tapioca or potato starches.
- Rapeseed oil can be replaced with vegan butter or coconut oil.
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