Bakery-Style Curry Beef Buns (Soft Milk Bread) -

Bakery-Style Curry Beef Buns (Soft Milk Bread)

Course: Breads & Buns

Keyword: beef, buns, curry

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 20

Proof Time: 1 30

Total Time: 2 10

Servings: buns

Calories: 287kcal

Recreate your favorite Asian bakery treat at home! These Bakery-Style Curry Beef Buns feature a soft milk bread dough stuffed with a savory, spiced filling.

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Equipment

Ingredients

Filling

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
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground coriander
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup water

Cornstarch Slurry

2 Tablespoons cornstarch
3 Tablespoons water

Soft Milk Bread Dough

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

Egg wash

1 large egg beaten
1 Tablespoon water

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Instructions

Sauté the Beef & Veggies: In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil on high. Sauté the onions until translucent. Add the ground beef and cook for 4 minutes until just browned; remove the meat to a bowl and set aside. Return the skillet to high heat. Add the potatoes and cook for 3 minutes, then add the carrots and cook 3 more minutes.
Season and Thicken the Filling: Reduce heat to medium-high. Return the beef to the skillet with vegetables. Stir in the salt, curry powder, mustard, turmeric, coriander, and brown sugar; cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas and ¼ cup of water; cook for 5 minutes. Whisk the cornstarch and 3 Tablespoons of water together. Stir the slurry into the skillet and cook for 2 minutes until thickened. Transfer to a bowl, cool, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Mix the Dough: Preheat the oven to its lowest setting (170°F/76°C) for 10 minutes, then turn it off. In a large bowl, whisk the bread flour, cake flour, sugar, yeast, milk powder, and salt. Place half the flour mixture into a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. On low speed, slowly pour in the milk, then add the egg.
Knead and First Proof: Switch to the dough hook, add the remaining flour mixture, and knead on low for 5 minutes. Increase to medium-low and knead for 15 minutes (25 minutes if by hand). Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, loosely cover with plastic wrap and a clean hand towel, and place in the warmed, turned-off oven for 1 hour.
Portion and Fill: Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Weigh the total dough, divide that number by 20, and cut the dough into 20 equal-weight balls (approx 59g each). Roll one ball into a 5-inch circle, place 2-3 Tablespoons of chilled filling in the center, pinch the edges together, and twist to seal. Repeat with remaining dough.
Second Proof and Bake: Place buns seam-side down on parchment-lined trays, spaced 2 inches apart. Cover with a towel and place back into the warmed, turned-off oven for 30 minutes. Remove trays and preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Whisk the egg and 1 Tablespoon water; brush over the buns. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and serve!

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Notes

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!

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