Taro Cream Bread Recipe

Steam or boil the peeled, cubed taro until very tender (about 12–15 minutes steaming or 10–12 minutes boiling). A fork should pierce easily.

Drain well and transfer hot taro to a bowl. Mash with a potato masher or pass through a fine sieve for a smoother texture.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine mashed taro, granulated sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and is spreadable (about 5–7 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool completely to room temperature (can refrigerate to speed up).

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl), combine the bread flour, sugar, instant yeast, and salt; whisk to distribute.

Whisk the warm milk with the egg, then add to the dry ingredients. Mix with the dough hook on low until the dough forms (about 2–3 minutes).

Add the softened butter in pieces and continue kneading on medium speed until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly tacky but not sticky (about 6–8 minutes). If kneading by hand, knead for about 10–12 minutes.

Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 60–75 minutes depending on temperature).

Punch down the dough gently to release air. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal portions (about 85–90 g each). Let the portions rest for 10 minutes, covered, to relax the gluten.

Roll each portion into a flat round approximately 12 cm (5 in) in diameter. Place about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons (20–30 g) of cooled taro filling in the center of each round, spreading slightly but leaving a 1 cm border.

Pinch the edges together to seal and roll gently between your palms to form a smooth ball, seam side down. Place each bun seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 cm apart. Alternatively, for a top-filled bun, fold edges under to form a little dimple and pipe cream later (see assembly).

Cover loosely and proof the shaped buns in a warm place until puffy and nearly doubled (about 35–45 minutes).

Make a cornstarch slurry: whisk cornstarch with cold water until smooth. Place in a small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring, until it thickens and turns translucent. Let cool to room temperature.

If using cream cheese, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Fold the cooled cornstarch slurry into the cream cheese until homogeneous. Then fold in the cooled taro filling prepared earlier until fully combined and smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed.

Chill the taro-cream mixture until it is cold (at least 30 minutes) so it holds structure when folded into whipped cream.

Whip the cold heavy cream with powdered sugar to soft-medium peaks. Gently fold about half of the whipped cream into the chilled taro-cream mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whipped cream until uniform, creating a light but stable taro cream for piping.

Transfer the taro cream to a piping bag fitted with a round or star tip if you plan to pipe into buns after baking; otherwise keep chilled until assembling.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Prepare the egg wash by beating the egg with 5 ml water and brushing the tops of the proofed buns lightly.

Bake the buns for 12–15 minutes, or until golden brown on top and hollow-sounding when tapped. Rotate the tray halfway through baking for even color if needed.

Remove the buns from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool until just warm. If you prefer to add taro cream before baking (for enclosed style), do not—bake first. For buns that were shaped with a top dimple, let cool to warm (not hot) before piping so the cream won't melt.

To fill baked buns: if buns are fully enclosed, use a small paring knife or piping nozzle to make a hole at the base or side and pipe ~1–2 tablespoons (15–30 g) of taro cream into each bun. For top-dimple buns, pipe cream into the center. Wipe any excess for a neat finish.

Optionally dust with a little powdered sugar or top with a small piece of cooked taro for garnish. Serve within 12 hours for best texture; refrigerate if storing longer (up to 2 days) and bring to room temperature before serving.