Taro Cream Bread Recipe

Prepare taro

If not already cooked, peel taro and cut into 1-inch cubes. Steam or boil until tender (20–25 minutes). Drain well and mash until smooth — measure 1 cup mashed taro. Allow to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the milk until smooth, making a slurry.

Combine remaining milk and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and milk is warm but not boiling.

Pour the cornstarch slurry into the warm milk, whisking constantly. Continue to cook and whisk until the mixture thickens into a pudding-like consistency (2–3 minutes).

Remove from heat. Stir in the mashed taro, butter, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix thoroughly until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust sugar if necessary.

Transfer the taro cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface to prevent a skin, and chill in the refrigerator until firm enough to pipe or scoop (at least 1 hour).

Warm the milk (3 tablespoons) to about 100–110°F (38–43°C). In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour (from the 3 cups), instant yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Add the warmed milk and the egg; mix until combined into a thick batter.

Gradually add the remaining flour, the remaining sugar, and the salt. If using a stand mixer, knead with the dough hook on medium-low for about 6–8 minutes until a smooth, slightly tacky dough forms. If kneading by hand, turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes, adding the warm water a tablespoon at a time only if the dough feels too dry.

With the mixer running (or during the last minutes of hand kneading), add the softened butter a piece at a time, allowing each piece to incorporate before adding the next. Continue kneading until the dough is elastic, glossy, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl (about 4–6 minutes). The final dough should be soft and slightly tacky but manageable.

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled in size, about 60–90 minutes depending on temperature.

After the first rise, gently deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions (about 60–70 g each) for individual rolls. Shape each portion into a smooth ball and cover with a towel for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.

Prepare egg wash by whisking together the egg yolk and 1 teaspoon milk.

Working with one dough ball at a time, flatten the ball into a disk about 3–4 inches wide. Spoon or pipe about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of chilled taro cream into the center of the disk, leaving a rim. Fold edges up and around the filling and pinch to seal. Shape into a smooth bun seam-side down. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. (If you prefer an exposed cream top, you can flatten and place filling on top and leave open; adjust egg wash and baking as below.)

Place filled buns seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet or in lightly greased muffin tins, spacing about 1–2 inches apart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel and allow to proof until puffy, about 35–45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) about 15 minutes before the end of proofing.

Brush the buns gently with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds if using.

Bake in the preheated oven for 14–18 minutes, until golden brown on top and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped. Tent with foil if they brown too quickly.

Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. If you left the filling exposed and it lost some gloss, you can brush with a thin sugar syrup (1 tbsp sugar dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water) to add shine. Allow buns to cool slightly before serving. Optionally dust with powdered sugar just before serving.