Name: Bakery-Style Curry Beef Buns (Soft Milk Bread)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 130 min
Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 cups yellow onion (about 1 large) (peeled & diced); 2 pounds lean ground beef; 2 cups carrots (about 3 large) (peeled & diced); 3 cups yellow potatoes (about 3 large) (peeled & diced); 2 cups frozen green peas; 1 Tablespoon sea or kosher salt; 4 Tablespoons curry powder; 1 teaspoon ground mustard; 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander; 2 Tablespoons brown sugar; 1/4 cup water; 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (); 3 Tablespoons water; 4 cups bread flour (sifted); 1 cup cake flour (sifted); ⅓ cup white sugar; 2¼ teaspoon quick rise or instant yeast ((1 envelope)); 2 Tablespoons instant milk powder; 1½ teaspoons sea salt; 1⅔ cup whole Milk (3.25%) (room temperature); 1 large egg (room temperature); 1 large egg (beaten); 1 Tablespoon water

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Is there anything better than walking into a classic Asian bakery and smelling that incredible mix of sweet, freshly baked dough and savoury spices? Now, you can recreate that exact experience at home with these
Bakery-Style Curry Beef Buns!

Are you intimidated by the thought of making yeast bread from scratch? I used to be! After my fair share of failed attempts resulting in dense, flat loaves, I finally figured out the secret to making incredible bread every single time. Now, I get excited every time I bake a fresh batch, and with a little practice, you can bake with complete confidence, too!

These buns are the ultimate comfort food. The exterior is a rich, pillowy milk bread with a delightfully soft chew. Inside, they are stuffed generously with a savoury, spiced curry beef filling mixed with sweet peas, carrots, and potatoes. They are completely freezer-friendly, making them the perfect grab-and-go meal to reheat on busy weekdays!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Authentic Bakery Texture: Using a blend of bread and cake flour enriched with whole milk and milk powder creates that signature, ultra-soft Chinese bakery texture.
Make-Ahead Friendly: You can make the incredibly flavourful curry beef filling a day in advance, which actually makes the buns easier to stuff and shape!
Perfectly Portioned: I will share my simple “baking math” trick to ensure every single bun comes out the exact same size so they bake perfectly evenly.

Ingredients You Will Need

Weighing your ingredients is highly recommended for bread making! Ensure all your dairy and eggs are brought to room temperature before you begin. Read more on How to Quickly Bring Dairy to Room Temp here.

For the Soft Milk Bread Dough:

The Flours: 4 cups bread flour (sifted) and 1 cup cake flour (sifted). (See FAQ if you only have All-Purpose flour!)
The Dry Mix: ⅓ cup white sugar, 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 envelope), 2 Tablespoons instant skim milk powder, and 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt.
The Wet Ingredients: 1 ⅔ cups whole milk (3.25%, room temperature) and 1 large egg (room temperature).

For the Curry Beef Filling:

The Base: 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 cups diced yellow onion (about 1 large), and 2 pounds lean ground beef.
The Veggies: 2 cups peeled & diced carrots (about 3 large), 3 cups peeled & diced yellow potatoes (about 3 large), and 2 cups frozen green peas.
The Spices: 4 Tablespoons curry powder, 1 Tablespoon sea or kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground mustard, ½ teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, and 2 Tablespoons brown sugar.
The Slurry: ¼ cup water (for the pan), plus 2 Tablespoons cornstarch whisked with 3 Tablespoons water to bind the gravy.

For the Egg Wash:

The Glaze: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon of water.

How to Make Bakery-Style Curry Beef Buns

Phase 1: Make the Curry Filling (Best done ahead of time!)

Heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over high heat. Sauté the onions until translucent, then add the ground beef. Cook for 4 minutes until browned but slightly undercooked. Scoop the meat into a bowl and set aside.
Return the skillet to high heat. Add the diced potatoes and cook for 3 minutes, then add the carrots and cook for 3 more minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium-high. Return the beef to the skillet. Stir in the salt, curry powder, mustard, turmeric, and brown sugar. Cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas and ¼ cup of water; cook for 5 more minutes.
Thicken & Chill: Whisk the cornstarch with 3 Tablespoons of water together, then pour it into the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes until the liquid thickens into a glossy gravy. Transfer to a bowl, let cool, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight).

Phase 2: Knead the Milk Bread Dough

The Oven Hack: Preheat your oven to its lowest setting (usually 170°F / 76°C) for 10 minutes, then turn it off to create a warm proofing chamber.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sifted cake flour, bread flour, sugar, instant yeast, milk powder, and salt. Place half of this mixture into a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
On low speed, slowly pour in the room-temperature milk until combined. Add the egg and mix.
Switch to the dough hook. Add the remaining flour mixture. Knead on low for 5 minutes, then increase to medium-low and knead for exactly 15 minutes (do not cut this short!). The dough should be pliable and clear the sides of the bowl without sticking.

Phase 3: First Proof and Portioning

Shape the dough into a tight ball. Place it into a lightly oiled bowl, rolling it to coat. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a tea towel. Place it in your warmed, turned-off oven for 1 hour to double in size.
Punch down the risen dough and turn it out onto a floured surface.
The Math Trick: Weigh your entire dough ball in grams (mine was 1187g). Divide that number by 20. (1187 ÷ 20 = 59g). Weigh and cut your dough into exactly 59g pieces so you have 20 perfectly equal buns! Shape each into a small ball and cover with a towel.

Phase 4: Fill, Second Proof, and Bake

Roll one dough ball into a 5-inch circle (about 1 cm thick). Place 2 to 3 generous Tablespoons of the chilled curry filling into the center. Pull the edges up, pinch them tightly together, and give a slight twist to seal.
Place the bun seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking tray. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the buns 2 inches apart.
Cover the trays with a towel and place them back into a warmed 170°F (76°C) oven (turned off!) for a second rise of 30 minutes.
Remove the trays from the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C).
Gently brush the tops of the proofed buns with the egg wash. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until beautifully golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

💡Pro Tips for Perfect Stuffed Buns

Chill Your Filling: Trying to seal soft bread dough around hot, slippery, wet filling is a nightmare. Always chill your curry beef filling for at least an hour (or overnight!). The cornstarch slurry will firm up in the fridge, making the filling easier to scoop and wrap.
Quick-Warm Your Dairy: Dough hates cold ingredients! If you forgot to take your eggs and milk out of the fridge, place your uncracked egg in a bowl of hot tap water for 10 minutes. Microwave your milk in 15-second bursts just until it is lukewarm to the touch (do not make it hot, or it will kill the yeast!).
Do Not Skip the Kneading Time: Bakery-style milk bread requires a lot of gluten development to get that signature feathery, shreddable texture. You must knead it in a stand mixer for a full 15 minutes. If you are kneading by hand, prepare for a workout—it will take at least 25 minutes!

Complete the Bakery & Dim Sum Menu

Creating a spread of Asian Bakery and dim sum classics is sure to impress loved ones! Pair your savoury Curry Beef Buns with these other favourites!

Homemade Pork Dumplings (Crispy Potstickers): Serve up a big platter of these juicy, crispy-bottomed potstickers as the perfect savoury sidekick.
BBQ Pork Buns: The sister buns to these curry buns. Stuffed with savoury, sweet BBQ pork that you can easily buy from any Asian supermarket to make the filling.
Easy Crispy Fried Pork Wontons: Add an irresistible, golden-fried crunch to your appetizer table with these savoury “money bags.”
Chinese Egg Tart with Plum Rose: Finish your bakery spread with these stunning, authentic, flaky egg custard tarts!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Milk Bread?

With a name like milk bread, it’s no surprise that milk is the main ingredient in this recipe. The milk fat replaces the need for butter, although some recipes include both butter and milk. Some use heavy cream and milk, while others rely on milk alone. The result is a rich, pillowy bread with a softer crust and a slight chew. It’s delicious on its own, but it also works well with sweet and savoury fillings. This bread stays fresh a little longer and offers extra nutrients thanks to the milk and instant milk powder. It differs from other breads because it uses milk instead of water; however, the process of mixing and proofing the dough is the same.

I don’t have Bread flour or Cake flour. Can I use All-Purpose flour?

Yes! The exact blend of high-protein bread flour and low-protein cake flour in this recipe creates the ultimate soft bakery texture, but you can substitute it. If you want to use strictly All-Purpose flour for the entire recipe, use exactly 4 ¾ cups of AP flour, 1 cup cake flour and reduce your milk slightly to 1 ½ cups.

I don’t have cake flour. What’s the substitution?

Use ¾ cups AP flour with 4 cups Bread flour and 1⅔ cups milk.

How should I store and reheat leftover buns?

Store leftover buns in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze them in heavy-duty zip-top bags for up to 6 weeks. To reheat from the fridge, microwave them for 1 to 2 minutes. To reheat from frozen, pop them in a bamboo steamer for 5 to 7 minutes, or microwave for about 3 minutes until steaming hot!