Not your regular cinnamon rolls

Blogging started a year ago. As far as I can remember, I was struggling through college hoping for this day to come, I yearn and dreamt of it every night and day as work flooded me with emotional distress, and time forbade tears..


I would probably be more into artisan bread making. I love the rustic look, crusty on the outside and soft in the inside, but to shape something up for people at home isn't easy. They prefer breads and buns which are soft textured, and mostly still reluctant to accept wholewheat in their breads.

Inspired by pumpkin kaya, I decided to tweak the recipe into a custard filling. Kaya, coconut caramel jam, traditionally cooked over double boiler for hours with eggs until it thickens to form a paste-like custard to spread on bread. Very popular favorites among Asians. Thinking of the idea of roti bakar (grilled bread), melting butter and kaya in it makes me drool.
However, with the distinct fragrance of coconut, it might have covered the natural sweet taste of pumpkin, and because I have fallen in love with the taste of pumpkin, I experimented a quicker and healthier alternative.



200g high protein flour
50g wholemeal flour
10g milk powder
20g sugar
6g salt

3g (1tsp) instant yeast
150g warm water

20g butter

custard filling
some walnuts/pumpkin seeds, toasted
some milk to glaze

Sprinkle yeast over warm water and let it sit for 5mins.
Mix flours, milk powder, sugar and salt together.

Pour in yeast mixture into the dry ingredients and knead for 15mins, until dough starts to form,
not sticking to the sides of the bowl.
Add in butter and continue to knead for 10mins until dough is smooth and springy.
Cover bowl with a cling wrap and let it proof for 40mins, until it rises twice it's size.

Dust work surface, hands and rolling pin with flour. Roll dough into a rectangle about 12 x 9 inch.
Cover with a towel and let it rest for 10mins.
Spread pumpkin custard filling on top generously and sprinkle over chopped walnuts.

Roll it up just like rolling up a swiss roll.
Using a serrated knife, divide into 8.
Place them into a greased 9inch spring form pan.
Cover with a wet towel and let it rest for another 40mins.

Brush the top with some milk/egg wash.
Preheat oven to 200C. Bake for 20-25min until the top browns evenly.

Pumpkin Custard Filling:

250g of pumpkin puree
10g custard powder
10g sugar

To make pumpkin puree, dice pumpkins into cubes. Steam pumpkin for 15mins or until they are tender.
Drain away water, mash/blend pumpkins.
In a saucepan, measure custard powder and sugar. Add in pumpkin puree and stir until they're well mixed.
Turn on low heat and slowly cook (it took me about 15mins), until it is thick and smooth.
As pumpkin looses it's water content, they will shrink about half portion.
Set aside to cool.

~|Notes|~

? parchment paper for the bottom of the pans which was a huge mistake because pumpkin custard sticks to the paper.
Grease pans instead.
?? When cooking pumpkin custard, cook at low heat and keep stirring to avoid sticking to the pan.
??? Place a ramekin filled with water in the oven when baking the buns to provide steam, optional.