Sri Lankan Cream Buns

Sri Lankan Cream buns/banis is a taste of my childhood, in fact it's a taste many of us can relate to having attended school while having a cream bun on the way or during the lunch break. I loved cream buns as a kid. This is a homemade version of the packaged cream buns. You can make around 10 cream buns out of this recipe, depending on the size you make. 

Ingredients

For the buns

500g All purpose flour 

75g white sugar

75g milk powder 

75g slightly melted butter + more for brushing

10g instant yeast

1/2 tsp salt or as per taste

300 ml warm water or more/less as required 

For brushing

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp white sugar

For the cream

75g butter

25g vegetable shortening (crisco/marvo)

300g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence 

1 tsp milk

Oil paper/ parchment paper strips to seal (optional)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Then add water little at a time and mix well using a wooden spoon. 
2. Now add the slightly melted butter and knead well. (If the dough is very sticky add more flour, but it should be slightly sticky)
3. Transfer the dough in to a work surface and knead well. (The dough should be slightly sticky, but keep kneading until you get a smooth and elastic dough)
4. Make a dough ball, cover and let it double in size.
5. After dough has risen, divide the in to dough balls. Weigh each ball in to 80g dough balls. (Adjust weight according to the size of the cream buns you prefer. Keep in mind the dough balls will double in size.)
6. Shape each dough ball by pulling and folding its edges under to create a smooth outer skin.
7. Place each dough ball in the baking tray lined with parchment paper. Leave gaps as the buns need space to expand.
8. Press them gently and flatten the dough balls with your palms. Cover them and let it rise again for 30 minutes in the tray. 
9. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
10. After the buns have risen, brush milk and sugar mixture on the buns.
11. Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the buns become gold in colour.
12. Soon after the buns are baked, brush melted butter and close with a kitchen towel. Let the buns sweat and cool completely. This will take up to 30 minutes. The buns should be completely cooled before putting cream.
13. Meanwhile prepare the cream by beating butter, shortening, vanilla, milk and icing sugar together. 
14. Now apply cream in one side of the bun and top it with another bun. (The amount of cream can be adjusted to taste)
15. Seal the buns with oil paper strips. Apply a little cream to paste the ends.
16. Repeat with the remaining buns. Cream buns are ready.

Notes:

Use good quality flour for best results.