These Thai Milky Buns are incredibly soft, pull-apart milk rolls loaded with a rich, velvety cream filling. Inspired by the trending social media treat, these buns are baked together in aluminum trays, injected with a luscious pastillas-style milk cream, coated with an extra layer on top, and finished with a heavy, snow-like dusting of milk powder.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 16 minutes
Yield: 3 aluminum trays (approx. 4 small buns per tray, 35g each)

Ingredients

Dough Recipe Recommendation: Cheese Rolls Recipe

• 1 batch of your favorite signature cheese rolls dough

For the Pastillas Milk Cream Filling:

(This uses half of a standard bulk batch, perfectly balanced with a pinch of salt to cut through the richness)

• 100 g Butter, at room temperature
• ½ can Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1 pinch Salt
• 200 g Milk powder (plus extra for dusting)
• 150 ml Very cold heavy whipped cream

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Portion, Arrange, and Bake

1. Portion the Dough: Take your signature cheese rolls dough and divide it into exact 35g pieces. Shape them into tight, smooth balls.
2. Arrange in Trays: Arrange the dough balls closely together inside rectangular aluminum baking trays (typically 4 buns per tray, lined up tightly so they bake into a beautiful pull-apart loaf).
3. Bake: Preheat your oven. Bake the buns for 16 minutes using 175°C Top Heat and 150°C Bottom Heat until the tops are set and very lightly golden.
4. Cool: Remove the trays from the oven and let the buns cool completely to room temperature before adding the filling.

Step 2: Whip the Pastillas Filling

1. Cream the Base: In a mixing bowl, combine the room-temperature butter and sweetened condensed milk. Beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy.
2. Season: Add a pinch of salt to balance out the rich sweetness.
3. Incorporate in Portions: Divide your milk powder and very cold whipped cream into two equal halves. Add the first half to the butter mixture and beat until well combined. Add the remaining half and beat again until the filling is perfectly smooth, uniform, and velvety.
4. Prep the Piping Bag: Transfer the whipped pastillas cream into a piping bag fitted with a round filling tip.

Step 3: Fill, Coat, and Dust

1. Inject the Buns: Use your piping tip to poke a clean opening directly into the top center of each baked bun. Pipe the cream generously inside until the bun expands slightly.
2. Coat the Top: Spread a smooth, even layer of the remaining pastillas filling across the entire top surface of the loaf, covering all the buns completely.
3. The Milky Dusting: Use a fine mesh strainer to sift a thick, heavy layer of milk powder over the tops of the trays right before serving or packaging.

Pro Tips for Success

Packaging & Gifting: These are perfect for commercial sale or gifting! Once dusted with milk powder, snap a clear plastic lid over the aluminum tray to keep them fresh, neat, and highly photogenic.

Storage: Because the filling contains fresh whipped cream and butter, store the trays in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before eating to soften the buttercream back to its melt-in-your-mouth texture.

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