Honey Flan-Buns

For my Honey Flan-Buns I use my Sweet Tangzhong Honey Dough with delicious Flan in the center!

The ingredients for the Honey Dough are:

For the Tangzhong:

200gr Flour

40gr water

For the dough

Dry ingredients:

580gr bread flour

8 gr yeast

120gr sugar

7gr salt

Milk powder (optional)

Wet ingredients:

120gr honey

2 eggs

160ml milk

3gr Cognac (optional)

3gr vanilla powder (optional)

After some kneading:

1 egg yolk

100gr butter

Egg wash:

Egg yolk

15ml milk

15gr agave syrup

For the Flan:

400ml milk

120gr sugar

1 vanilla pod

47gr cornstarch

100ml heavy cream

3 egg yolks

First prepare the flan;

In a pot boil the milk, sugar and scraped vanilla pod and beans. After it boils let the vanilla pod stand in the milk for 10 minutes and then remove.

In a bowl mix the heavy cream, egg yolks and cornstach.

Slowly (careful not to cook the eggs), while whisking, add the hot milk.

Return all of the mixture to the pot on medium - heat whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and your flan is ready (it should coat the back of a spoon). Pass the flan through a sieve, cover with plastic wrap touching its surface and let it cool in the refrigerator or, if made while the dough is proofing, in an ice bath.

For the Tangzhong:

Heat 200gr water with 40gr flour whisking constantly until it reaches a gelatinous constistency.

Tranfer to the fridge for an hour or the freezer for 20 minutes to reach room temperature.

For the dough:

Combine the dry ingredients.

Add to them the wet ingredients (don’t add the butter and egg yolk yet).

Using the dough hook on your mixer, on low-medium speed, knead for 2 minutes until you have a rough dough.

Add the egg yolk and knead until it is incorporated.

Add the butter and continue mixing for 10 minutes on medium-high speed or until it only sticks to the bottom and not that much to the sides of the bowl.

Transfer the dough to an oiled surface, shape into a ball and transfer to an oiled bowl making sure that every side of it gets oiled. Cover with plastic wrap and let it proof in a warm environment for 1 – 1 ½ hours.

After it has doubled in size, punch it and transfer it again to an oiled surface. Divide into 2 pieces and with a rolling pin roll each piece into a rectangle. For the shape in the video I cut the dough into strips and braid them. Make a knot with each braid and cover the middle with the ends of them.

Cover again with plastic wrap and let them proof for another 40 minutes.

Meanwhile preheat your oven at 200oC.

When your buns are proofed, add the flan into a piping bag and pipe it into the middle of each bun. Apply the egg wash and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Remove from the oven, transfer on a cooling rack and let them cool completely.

After they cool down, dilute honey (or agave/maple syrup) with some water so that you can apply it on top of each bun for shiny goodies!

And remember! Love goes through the stomache so be sure to share them with your loved ones! They’ll adore them!

I wish you a great week with lots of happy moments and creative bakes! ^^