Ube Cream-Filled Brioche Buns

Ingredients

• 3 cups Bread Flour, Spooned and leveled, plus extra for dusting
• 0.25 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2.25 tsp Instant Yeast, One standard packet
• 1 tsp Salt
• 0.67 cup Whole Milk, lukewarm, About 100°F / 38°C
• 2 large Eggs, Room temperature, plus 1 more for egg wash
• 5 tbsp Unsalted Butter, softened, Cut into pieces
• 1.25 cups Heavy Cream, cold, For the filling
• 0.75 cup Ube Halaya (Purple Yam Jam), Store-bought or homemade
• 2 tbsp Powdered Sugar, Adjust to taste depending on how sweet your halaya is
• 1 tsp Ube Extract, For deeper color and aroma
• 0.33 cup Pistachios or Cashews, toasted and finely chopped, For topping

Instructions

1. Mix the Dough In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the bread flour, sugar, instant yeast, and salt. Add the lukewarm milk and 2 eggs and mix on low for 2-3 minutes until a shaggy dough forms.
2. Knead in the Butter With the mixer on medium-low, add the softened butter a piece at a time, waiting until each is absorbed before adding the next. Knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth, glossy, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should pass the windowpane test.
3. First Rise Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4. Shape the Buns Punch down the dough and divide it into 10 equal pieces (about 65g each). Roll each piece into a ball, then roll it under your palm into a 4-inch oblong. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet with 2 inches between them.
5. Second Rise Cover loosely and let the buns rise until puffy and about 1.5 times their size, 40-45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) during the last 15 minutes.
6. Egg Wash and Bake Beat the remaining egg with a splash of milk and brush it gently over each bun. Bake for 16-18 minutes until deep golden brown on top and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped. Cool completely on a wire rack.
7. Whip the Ube Cream In a chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream and powdered sugar to soft peaks. Add the ube halaya and ube extract, then whip again just until the cream holds stiff peaks and is evenly purple. Don't overwhip or it will turn grainy. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round or French star tip.
8. Fill and Finish Use a serrated knife to slice each cooled bun lengthwise down the top, stopping about three-quarters of the way through. Gently open each bun, pipe in a generous line of ube cream, and sprinkle the chopped toasted nuts over the cream. Serve right away or chill for up to 4 hours.

Pro Tips

• Make sure the buns are completely cool before filling them. Even slightly warm bread will melt the whipped cream and make it slide out.
• Chill the mixing bowl and whisk for 10 minutes before whipping the cream. Thick, sticky ube halaya weighs cream down, so starting very cold helps it hold its shape.
• Weigh the dough pieces so all 10 buns bake evenly and look uniform once they're lined up.
• If your ube halaya is very firm, stir it smooth with a spoon, or pass it through a potato ricer, before folding it into the cream so it doesn't leave lumps.

Variations

• Ube Cheese Cream: Beat 4 oz of softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar before adding the heavy cream, for a tangier, sturdier filling that holds up longer at room temperature.
• Pinipig Crunch: Swap the chopped nuts for toasted pinipig (pounded young rice) for a more traditional Filipino finish.
• Ube Dough: Knead 1 tbsp of ube powder and 1 tsp of ube extract into the dough for purple bread as well as purple filling.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

318 calories · 38g carbs · 7g protein · 15g fat · 14g sugar · 1g fiber

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes. Bake the buns up to a day ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Whip the cream and fill the buns up to 4 hours before serving, and keep them refrigerated until then.

Can I knead the dough by hand?

Yes, but expect 15-20 minutes of kneading. The dough will feel sticky at first once the butter goes in. Keep kneading without adding a lot of extra flour, and it will turn smooth and elastic.

Why did my ube cream deflate?

Usually the cream wasn't cold enough, or the halaya was added before the cream reached soft peaks. Whip the cream alone first, then add the halaya and finish whipping to stiff peaks.

Recommended Ingredient

KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Stand Mixer — read our review.

More Bread Recipes

• Fluffy Soft Ube Cheese Pandesal
• Purple Ube Banana Bread
• Ube Pull-Apart Monkey Bread
• Ube-Filled Ensaymada