Bambas de Nata Questions

Can I use instant yeast or fresh yeast instead of the 7 g dry yeast?

Yes. Instant yeast works in the same amount and can be mixed straight into the flour, so you can skip the 8-10 minute proofing step with the milk and sugar. For fresh yeast use about 21 g, crumbled into the lukewarm milk with the teaspoon of sugar, and let it foam as described. In all cases the milk should only be lukewarm, since hot milk kills the yeast.

My dough stays sticky and never pulls away from the bowl - what went wrong?

This dough is enriched with egg and 40 g butter, so it is meant to feel soft and slightly tacky at first. The butter is added last on purpose, and it takes the full 8-10 minutes of kneading before the gluten develops enough for the dough to come together and clear the sides. Resist adding lots of extra flour - a tablespoon at most - because more flour makes the baked Bambas dry instead of airy.

Can I prepare anything ahead of time?

The buns themselves are best baked the day you fill them, but you can knead the dough in the evening and let it do its first rise slowly in the fridge overnight, then shape, let it come to room temperature and finish the second rise the next morning. You can also bake the buns a day ahead and store them airtight once fully cooled. Whip the cream only shortly before filling, and always fill the Bambas after they have cooled completely, or the cream will melt.

How do I store the filled Bambas, and how long do they keep?

Once filled with whipped cream they need to go in the fridge and are really best eaten the same day, since the moist cream softens the crumb over time. Store them in a covered container so they do not take on fridge smells, and dust with the finishing powdered sugar just before serving because it dissolves on standing. Unfilled buns keep better at room temperature in an airtight container, and they also freeze well - thaw, then split and fill.

My whipped cream turned runny or grainy - how do I get a filling that holds its shape?

The cream must be properly cold, straight from the fridge, and it helps to chill the bowl and beaters too, because warm cream will not whip stiff. Whip it just until stiff peaks form and stop there - beating past that point makes it grainy and starts turning it to butter. If you want the filling to stay piped-neat for several hours, sweeten toward the higher end of the 1-2 tablespoons of powdered sugar or use a cream stabilizer.