
These orange blossom saffron cream buns are fluffy, soft and infused with subtle flavors! An utterly delicious treat to try ASAP!
Start by making the orange blossom flavored cream, as it needs time to chill.
In a small mixing bowl, combine corn starch, coconut sugar, turmeric (if using) and salt. Toss to combine.
In a saucepan, add soy milk, orange blossom water, vanilla extract, and whisk. Add the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Turn on your stove, and heat your saucepan under medium heat. Whisk continually to avoid sticking while it cooks. Once the liquid come to a boil, it should take about 2 to 3 minutes before the cream starts to thicken.
Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wraps. You ant your plastic wrap to touch the entire surface of the cream to avoid any skin forming. Chill for a couple of hours in the fridge. When chilled, remove from the fridge, uncover and whisk to loosen the cream. (the cream will slightly solidify after chilling, just whisk it thoroughly to loosen it)
If you are using coconut cream, whip it for about 5 minutes and then using a spatula fold in the whipped coconut cream with the orange blossom cream. Set aside
If you are using aquafaba, whip your aquafaba for 15 minutes or until it reaches soft peaks. Using a spatula, gently fold in the orange blossom cream.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a small saucepan, add soy milk and saffron threads and heat under low heat. You just want to heat the soy milk enough so the saffron can release its flavor and color. You don't need to bring the liquid to a boil. It should take about 1 to 2 minutes. Once your liquid turns a beautiful golden color, transfer to a glass and set aside to cool down (if the liquid is too hot, it will kill your yeast, so give it 10 minutes to cool down)
In the bowl of your stand mixer, add all dry ingredients followed by your saffron-infused soy milk, orange blossom water, and vanilla extract. Start mixing until it forms a uniform dough, then add vegan butter or coconut oil. Knead for 10 to 15 minutes or until the dough is very soft to the touch and shiny.
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and leave it to rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the dough almost doubles in size.
Once the dough has doubled in size, knead again for a couple of minutes to release the gas. Transfer to a clean floured surface and divide it into about 12 pieces. Roll each piece of dough and shape it between your hands (use some flour if your dough is too sticky to handle)
Place your shaped buns into your baking sheet and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until puffy and slightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and place them on a cooling rack.
Once your buns reach room temperature, use a serrated knife to cut the top part of each bun. Remove some of the inside of the buns to leave a space for the cream. Garnish with the cream and serve.