Patron Exclusive Recipe #9 Dim Sum Basics: Cantonese Curdstard Filling (传统奶黄馅)

Sups guys, let's continue the dim sum route and do some basics this week.
I want to show you how to make the Cantonese curdstard filling and then we'll use it to make buns and cakes~

This one's super simple and let's get started.

 **Ingredients** 

1. 2 medium eggs, about 100g.

2. Unsalted butter, 75g. 

3. Carnation condensed milk, 120g. This brand is the classic one used in Cantonese cusdstard filling. You can use whatever brand's unsweetened condensed milk, or you can even use heavy cream.

4. Cornstarch, 50g.

5. Curdstard powder (the type with milk powder in), 1 tsp. Optional but highly recommended, it gives the filling a better color and frangrace.

6. Granulated sugar, 200g.

7. Salt, 1/4 tsp.

  **Process**  

1. Weigh the butter in a tiny sauce pan, and melt it. Then set aside to cool.

(This is my little sauce pan for melting chocolate)

(Melted and set aside to cool)

2. Crack two eggs in a container, give it a good whisk.

3. Add in the sugar, then whisk to disolve.

4. Add in the condensed milk, whisk to combine.

(Mine looks thick 'cause I keep it in the fridge)

5. Stream in the now cooled to room temperature butter.

6. Add in the salt, whisk to combine.

7. Add in the curdstard powder, whisk to combine.

8. Now add in the cornstarch, give it a really good whisk till everything's smooth.

9. After you whisk in everything, now let's strain the mixture into a bigger sauce pan that's enough to hold it.

10. And we start to heat it up over light simmering water.
Note on cooking method here: traditionally this can also be steamed. But I prefer cooking it over simmering water as there won't be water condensation in the curdstard.

11. This will take an hour. We'll need to give it a good stir every 5 mintue. You can see the texture changes through the process.

(Kinda liquidy)

(After 20-30 minutes, it starts to thicken.)

(Stir, stir, stir. This is at 45 minute mark.)

(Finally, one hour later. And we're done.)

12. Now once it's done, put it in a clean, heat resistant and air-tight box and cover it up. It keeps well in the fridge for a week.
(If you're making a bigger batch, then you can let it cook down, portion it out and put into smaller containers and freeze them, keeps well for at least three months in the freezer. )

And now we have curdstard filling, next week, it'll be an old-school dim sum that uses this filling, curdstard crystal cakes (my childhood favorite)!