Injeolmi Cream Buns are a delicious treat with a slightly earthy coating and a sweet creamy filling. They’re fun and a different way to enjoy baked yeasted dough.
WHAT IS INJEOLMI?
Injeolmi is a Korean rice cake that is coated with roasted bean powder (usually soy).
The rice cake is made with steamed glutinous rice which gets pounded until it is sticky.
It’s very similar to mochi.
WHAT IS INJEOLMI POWDER (ROASTED BEAN POWDER)?
Injeolmi powder is roasted soy bean powder, also known as kinako (in Japanese).
It is made from soy beans that have been dried, roasted and milled, and has a texture similar to flour.
Injeolmi powder is golden/tan in colour and has a nutty, earthy flavour. It is can be served unsweetened or sweetened.
You can find roasted bean powder at Korean, Japanese or Asian supermarkets.
WHAT ARE IN INJEOLMI CREAM BUNS
My husband brought home some Injeolmi Cream Buns from a local Korean market, and I wanted to recreate them at home.
Essentially, it is a soft yeasted bun with a cream filling and the exterior of the bun is coated with roasted soy bean powder.
The cream bun that I tried was just whipped vanilla cream with red bean paste filling in a “hamburger-style” bun, coated with injeolmi powder.
TYPES OF FILLING
The fillings are typically sweet and feature Asian flavours such as:
- injeolmi cream (soybean powder with cream)
- matcha cream
- black sesame paste
- red bean paste
- mochi pieces
However, I’ve seen savoury versions such as garlic and cream cheese.
HOW TO MAKE INJEOLMI CREAM BUNS
My buns feature a homemade red bean paste with mochi and vanilla whipped cream.
First, make the red bean paste (or you can use a store-bought one).
Then, portion the red bean paste into balls. (I like to do this the day before).
Make the mochi pieces:
Combine the glutinous rice flour/mochiko flour with water in a shallow dish.
Give the mixture a stir, cover with a lid and microwave for 1-2 minutes, stopping every minute to stir the mixture.
Divide the mochi into 10 equal pieces and cover with a plate so it doesn’t dry out.
For more tips on how to make mochi, check out this post.
Make the bun dough:
I use the same dough recipe from my Hattendo-Inspired Matcha Cream Buns.
FORM THE BUNS
Divide the bun dough into 10 equal pieces.
Roll out the dough into a ball, and flatten with a rolling pin.
Add a piece of mochi of in the centre of the dough.
Next, add the red bean paste filling on top of the mochi piece, gather up the dough, and pinch the seams together.
Place the dough seam-side down on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Press the dough gently to flatten a little.
Repeat with the remainder and cover with a cloth. Let the buns rise until puffy and doubled in size.
BAKE THE BUNS
Preheat oven to 350F.
Brush the tops of the buns with a little milk.
Bake the buns at 350F for 18-20 minutes.
Let the buns completely cool before adding in the whipped cream.
MAKE THE WHIPPED CREAM
In a chilled bowl, combine the heavy cream with powdered sugar. Add in the vanilla extract and whisk until stiff peaks forms.
If making injeolmi whipped cream: add in 2 Tbsp of roasted soy bean powder (injeolmi) to the whipped cream.
Transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with a long piping tip.
ASSEMBLE THE BUNS
Use a chopstick to poke a hole in the side of the cooled bun. Wiggle the chopstick a little to make cavity for the cream.
Pipe the whipped cream into the bun.
Smear about 1-2 tablespoons of whipped cream over the entire surface of the bun.
Coat the entire bun with injeolmi (roasted soy bean powder) powder.
Repeat with the remainder.
HOW TO STORE THE BUNS
It’s best to enjoy the Injeolmi Cream Buns freshly made. Furthermore, it’s advisable to only pipe the whipped cream filling in just before you want to eat it.
Storing the buns in the fridge will affect the texture of the mochi, as it will harden in cool temperatures.
Keep the un-filled buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
However, if you’ve filled the buns with cream, you’ll need to store them in the refrigerator.
CAN I FILL THE BUNS WITH OTHER FLAVOURS?
Absolutely. You can even try swapping the red bean paste with a matcha milk jam or hojicha milk jam.
WHAT ABOUT OMITTING THE MOCHI?
Sure, you can omit the mochi. It will extend the shelf-life of the bun, and you can store the cream-filled bun in the fridge in this case.
OTHER RECIPES YOU MAY LIKE
Hattendo-Inspired Matcha Cream Buns
Hodugwaja-Inspired Chestnut Black Sesame Waffles
Let me know if you try out this recipe — tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment below! I’d love to see your re-creations!
Injeolmi Cream Buns
Ingredients
Dough:
Tangzhong
- 85 ml whole milk
- 15 g all-purpose flour
Dough
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 30 g granulated sugar
- pinch sea salt
- 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
- 125 ml whole milk + extra for brushing on top
- 1 large egg
- 60 ml avocado oil
- tangzhong from above
Fillings:
Red bean Paste:
- 300 g red bean paste
Mochi:
- 100 g mochiko flour
- 150 g water
Cream:
- 250 ml heavy whipping cream
- 3 Tbsp powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Coating:
- ¼ C roasted soy bean powder (injeolmi powder/kinako) divided
Instructions
Make the mochi:
- In a shallow dish, combine the mochiko flour with water and give it a stir.
- Cover with a lid and microwave for 1-2 minutes, stopping to stir the mixture after each minute.
- Let the mochi cool slightly and divide into 10 equal portions. Keep the mochi covered.
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.
- 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.
Fill the buns:
- Divide the dough into 10 equal portions, and roll each portion into a ball.
- Flatten the dough with a rolling pin.
- Add a piece of mochi in the centre of the dough.
- Next, add the red bean paste filling on top of the mochi piece, gather up the dough, and pinch the seams together.
- Place the dough seam-side down on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Press the dough gently to flatten a little.
- Repeat with the remainder and cover the buns with a cloth. Let the buns rise in a warm location until puffy and doubled in size.
- Towards the end of the proofing time, preheat oven to 350°F.
- Brush the tops of the buns with a little milk.
- Bake the buns at 350°F for 18-20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown on top (if it's browning too quickly, cover with aluminum foil halfway).
- Let the buns completely cool before adding in the whipped cream.
Make the whipped cream:
- In a chilled bowl, combine the heavy cream with powdered sugar. Add in the vanilla extract and whisk until stiff peaks forms.
- If making injeolmi whipped cream: add in 2 Tbsp of roasted soy bean powder (injeolmi) to the whipped cream.
- Transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with a long piping tip.
Assemble the buns:
- Use a chopstick to poke a hole in the side of the cooled bun. (Aim for the upper third of the bun). Wiggle the chopstick a little to make cavity for the cream.
- Pipe the whipped cream into the bun.
- Smear about 1-2 tablespoons of whipped cream over the entire surface of the bun.
- Put the injeolmi powder into a bowl or shallow dish.
- Place the cream-covered bun into the bowl with the injeolmi powder and coat the entire bun with the powder.
- Repeat with the remainder.
- Serve immediately.
I’ve never tried these before! They look so incredible and thanks for introducing them to me! YUM!
They’re absolutely a treat!