Pumpkin Buns with Chai-Infused Whipped Cream Filling
Pumpkin-shaped buns filled with chai-infused whipped cream are a delightful fall treat that combines chai spices' warmth with pumpkin's subtle sweetness. The buns are made with a soft yeast dough enriched with pumpkin puree to give them flavor and structure. The process of shaping the buns into little pumpkins, whether using kitchen twine or scoring them, adds an exciting creative aspect to the recipe. Once baked, the buns are filled with a light, fluffy whipped cream infused with chai spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger.
Servings 12
Ingredients
Pumpkin-Shaped Buns
- 2 cups bread flour
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup warm milk
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 1 egg (for the dough)
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- Kitchen twine for shaping the buns
Chai-Infused Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp crushed ginger
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp crushed cardamon
- 2-3 small pieces of cinnamon stick
- 2-3 black tea bags or 1 tbsp loose-leaf black tea or 1 tbsp loss black tea
Instructions
- Combine the warm milk, 1/2 tbsp sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy.
- Add the flour, salt, pumpkin puree, yeast mixture, egg, and 11/2 tbsp sugar in a mixing bowl. Mix until combined, then add the softened butter and knead for about 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a cloth, and let it rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Roll each into a ball, then tie it with twine to give it a pumpkin shape (loosely, as the dough rises). Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes.
- Brush each bun with egg wash for a shiny finish.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
- Once baked, allow the buns to cool slightly before carefully removing the twine.
- Chai-Infused Whipped Cream
- Combine cream, tea bags, crushed ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves in a saucepan. Gently simmer the mixture over low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, careful not to let it boil. Cover and let it cool for 10 minutes, then strain the tea bags and spices. Chill the cream for 1 hour in the fridge to cool thoroughly. Once cooled, whip the infused cream with sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Transfer the whipped cream into a piping bag with a large tip.
Assembling the Buns
- After the buns have cooled, use a small knife to create a cavity in the bottom of each bun for the whipped cream filling. The hole should be large enough to hold a generous spoonful of cream.
- Fill each bun through the cavity with the cream.
- For an extra touch, insert a small cinnamon stick on the top of each bun to resemble a pumpkin stem.