Instructions

Preparing the pumpkin custard (you may prepare one day ahead)

1. Place a sugar, starch, salt, coconut milk, pumpkin puree, and butter in a medium sauce pan and stir to mix everything. Place this over medium heat. Cook and whisk until the mixture started to get thickened. Remove from the heat and add in egg yolks one at a time while keep stirring. Continue until you've added all the yolks. Place the pan back on medium heat and cook until you get a smooth and custard consistency. Let the custard cool down completely. If you you are preparing ahead, wrap and store in the refrigerator. Form into 8 large balls or 16 small balls

Preparing the roux starter

1. Place the bread flour and milk in a small sauce pan and stir to mix. Place over medium heat and cook until the mixture turn into a paste consistency. Remove from the heat and let it cool down

Making the buns

1. Mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Meanwhile, crack in 2 eggs, milk, and the roux starter in the stand mixer bowl (if using stand mixer). Whisk until they are incorporated. Switch to dough hook and gradually add in the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Follow by yeast and pieces of butter. Continue to knead the dough for 10 minutes until the dough is no longer sticky. If it still appears a bit sticky, add a bit of flour, 1 Tbsp at a time
2. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and let it rise in a warm place for 40 minutes to one hour until doubled in size. Lightly flour your work surface. Turn the dough into your work surface and punch the dough down to release the air. Roll the dough into a log and cut into 8 equal pieces or if you want smaller buns, cut into 16 pieces
3. Work with one dough at a time and keep the rest covered with a clean kitchen towel. Flatten the dough down and place the custard that you rolled into ball earlier in the middle of the dough and wrap the dough around it. Place it in the middle of a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. You may use your regular round pan too. The cast-iron gives a nice even color to the bread without that overbaking at the bottom that I usually see when I use my regular baking pan. Continue with the rest of the dough and filling and arrange the buns in the pan as shown in the photos. If you make smaller buns, you may probably started out with 2-3 buns in the middle of the pan. Cover these buns and let it proof again for another 40 minutes or so or almost double in size
4. minutes before the end of the 2nd proofing, preheat your oven to 350 F. Brush the skillet/pan with some oil. Brush the buns with egg wash and then sprinkle with white sesame seeds. Place the skillet/pan inside the oven and let it bakes for the next 40 minutes. 5 minutes before the end of baking time, brush with some honey. Remove from the oven and let it cool down inside the skillet/pan for about 10 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool down completely
5. Enjoy and this will keep for max 3 days. You may freeze them and they will keep for weeks. Just thaw and reheat in microwave or toaster oven. If reheating in conventional oven, wrap them up with a foil and bake at 350 F for 15 minutes