Hattendo-Inspired Matcha Cream Buns

These Hattendo-Inspired Matcha Cream Buns are soft, yeasted fluffy buns filled with a light and rich matcha custard cream. Perfect for afternoon tea or an anytime snack!

I might have an obsession with cream buns. 

It's such a natural pairing. Cream and any bread, really, for that matter. 

These soft buns are inspired by Hattendo's Cream Buns. I've never had them before, but this is what I'd imagine they would taste like.

Custard cream in the buns?

According to their website, Hattendo buns are filled with a custard, blended with fresh cream.

I'm unsure if the custard cream is baked right into the buns, or if it's filled into the buns afterwards. 

I did some experimentation to find out.

I tried baking the custard right into the buns, similar to these pan-fried custard buns, but it felt heavy and didn't have that lightness from the cream.

On the flip side, baking fresh whipped cream would no doubt end up in a leaky mess, so I didn't want to go that route.

As a compromise, I came up with this recipe which is a soft baked bun that is later filled with a matcha custard cream.

In this sense, it's similar to a cream puff, where the cream is piped in afterwards. 

How to make the dough

This bun dough is based on an enriched milk dough with tangzhong. 

What is tangzhong?

Tangzhong is a cooked water/milk and flour mixture that helps retain moisture in the dough.

How to make tangzhong

First, make the tangzhong by cooking the mixture of flour and water and/or milk in a small saucepan.

The resulting consistency will resemble a thick gluey paste.

Let it cool to room temperature.

Make the dough

Next, add the tangzhong to the rest of the dough ingredients and knead until it becomes smooth. It shouldn't be dry or sticky. 

Kneading the dough for long enough is important as this action produces gluten, which makes the dough smooth and elastic. 

Cover the dough and let it rest in a warm location, until doubled in size, about 1 hour, depending on how warm your environment is.

Divide the dough into 10 equal portions, and roll each portion into a ball. Repeat with the remaining.

Tip: To shape, gently cup the dough with your hand, press slightly on the dough while moving your hand in a circular motion.

Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let it rise again until puffy, about 30-40 minutes. 

Lightly brush the tops with milk.

Preheat oven to 350F and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until an instant thermometer registers 190F. 

How to make matcha cream

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, flour, and cornstarch.

Heat the milk in a saucepan, until it's scalding hot. 

While whisking the egg yolk mixture, gradually pour in the hot milk.

Pour the warmed mixture back into the saucepan and whisk until it has thickened.

Remove the custard from the heat, and whisk in the vanilla. 

Cool the custard and place a piece of parchment over top (to prevent a skin from forming). Chill in the fridge.

To a large bowl, pour in the heavy cream. Whisk the heavy cream until bubbles begin to form.

Add in about 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and continue to whisk until medium peaks. 

Fold about ¼ of the whipped cream into the matcha custard to lighten.

Fold in the rest of the whipped cream into the matcha custard. 

Transfer the matcha custard cream into a piping bag fitted with a piping tip.

Filling the buns

There are 2 ways to fill the buns:

• poke a hole on the side of the bun
• slice it in half and either remove some of the dough or press it down to make room for the cream

Poke a hole:

Use a chopstick to poke a hole on the side of the bun, and wiggle it gently to make a large cavity for the cream.

Be careful not to poke the bun through to the opposite end. 

Then, fit the piping tip into the hole and gently squeeze the cream into the bun. 

Slice in half:

Or you can slice it in half and remove a bit of the dough from the centre or push down to make a cavity. 

Then, fill each half cavity with matcha custard cream. 

How to serve & store

It's best to pipe in the cream just prior to serving the buns. 

Once the cream is piped, serve immediately.

Similar to Coconut Cream Buns, you can store the buns (with cream) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, but note that the texture of the bun will not be as soft. 

Rich yet light

These Matcha Cream Buns are soft and fluffy -- the buns on their own are excellent as a hamburger or hotdog bun.

The matcha cream adds a rich lightness to the buns (I know, that sounds like an oxymoron, but it's true)!

The matcha custard is rich and the whipped cream lightens it up.  

Other recipes you may like

If you enjoyed this recipe for Matcha Cream Buns, you may also like:

Mini Matcha Custard Buns

Injeolmi Cream Buns

Coconut Cream Buns

Matcha Pineapple Buns

Let me know if you try out these Hattendo-Inspired Matcha Cream Buns -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below. Have you tried Hattendo buns before? 

Print Recipe

5 from 8 votes

Hattendo-Inspired Matcha Cream Buns

Soft and fluffy buns filled with a light matcha custard cream

Prep Time2 hrs 30 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time3 hrs

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Asian, Japanese

Servings: 8

Calories: 386kcal

Author: Michelle

For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.

Ingredients

Tangzhong

• 85 ml whole milk
• 15 g all-purpose flour

Dough

• 300 g all-purpose flour
• 30 g granulated sugar
• pinch sea salt
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast *or active dry yeast, see note below
• 125 ml whole milk + extra for brushing on top
• 1 large egg
• 60 ml avocado oil
• tangzhong from above

Matcha Custard Cream

• 3 egg yolks
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 20 g all-purpose flour
• 3 g cornstarch
• 5 g matcha
• 250 ml whole milk
• splash of vanilla extract
• 125 ml heavy whipping cream chilled
• 10 g powdered sugar

Metric | US Customary

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Make the tangzhong:

• Place the flour and milk into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat.
• Whisk until it becomes thickened, about 2-3 minutes. The resulting consistency will resemble a thick gluey paste. Let it cool to room temperature.

Make the dough:

• Next, add the cooled tangzhong to the rest of the dough ingredients in a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook and knead until it becomes smooth. It shouldn’t be dry or sticky.
• *Note: if using active dry yeast, bloom in lukewarm milk first before adding to the flour mixture.
• Kneading the dough for long enough is important as this action produces gluten, which makes the dough smooth and elastic.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the dough and let it rest in a warm location, until doubled in size, about 1 hour, depending on how warm your environment is.
• Divide the dough into 10 equal portions, and roll each portion into a ball. Repeat with the remaining.
• Tip: To shape, gently cup the dough with your hand, press slightly on the dough while moving your hand in a circular motion.
• Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let it rise again until puffy, about 30-40 minutes.
• Brush the tops of the buns with a little milk.
• Towards the end of the proofing time, preheat oven to 350°F/177°C.
• Bake the buns at 350°F/177°C for 18-20 minutes, or until an instant thermometer registers 190°F/88°C.

Make matcha custard cream:

• In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, flour, cornstarch and matcha.
• Heat the milk over medium heat in a saucepan, until it’s scalding hot.
• While whisking the egg yolk mixture, gradually pour in the hot milk.
• Pour the warmed mixture back into the saucepan and whisk until it has thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
• Remove the custard from the heat, and whisk in the vanilla extract.
• Cool the matcha custard and place a piece of parchment over top (to prevent a skin from forming). Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge.
• Pour the heavy whipping cream into a large bowl. Whisk the heavy cream until bubbles begin to form.
• Add in powdered sugar and continue to whisk until medium peaks.
• Fold about ¼ of the whipped cream into the matcha custard to lighten.
• Fold in the rest of the whipped cream into the matcha custard.
• Transfer the matcha custard cream into a piping bag fitted with a piping tip.

To assemble:

• Use a chopstick to poke a hole on the side of the bun. Gently wiggle to create a cavity for the cream. Be careful not to poke through to the other end.
• Place the piping tip into the hole and gently pipe in the cream.

OR

• Slice a bun in half and remove some of the interior dough/ or press down to make a little cavity.
• Fill the cavity with the cream.
• Serve immediately.
• Filled buns can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 43mg | Potassium: 152mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 481IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 2mg

The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.

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