Raspberry Mochi Cream Bear Buns

Mix 500 g raspberries with 200 g granulated sugar in a bowl.

Cover and leave to macerate for 2 hours.

Transfer the macerated raspberries and their juices to a heated mixer fitted with its stirring paddle.

Use the fruit-and-sugar program at 100°C, stirring level 2 for 20 minutes; the jam should be thick before straining.

Press through a sieve, cool, then set aside 60 g for the cream and 48 g for the mochi centers.

Transfer the remaining jam to a separate container so it is kept apart from the amount used for the buns.

Put 250 g bread flour, 35 g granulated sugar and 8 g milk powder in the mixer bowl.

Add 135 g cold milk, 1 large egg, 3 g instant yeast and 4 g prickly pear fruit powder.

Knead on low speed, then increase the speed until the dough comes together and stretches into a thick membrane.

Add 25 g butter and 2 g salt to the dough.

Continue kneading until it stretches into a thin windowpane.

Proof in the mixer at 35°C for 40 minutes.

Press the proofed dough to release the gas and divide it into 6 equal pieces.

Round each piece, cover and rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Roll each piece into a long sheet, roll it up into an elongated oval and place on a baking tray.

Proof the tray of rolls at 30°C for 40 minutes.

Remove the tray, cover to prevent drying and preheat the oven to 180°C with top and bottom heat and the fan off.

Bake on the middle rack for 15 minutes, then leave the rolls to cool completely before adding cream.

Mix 75 g glutinous rice flour, 22.5 g cornstarch, 22.5 g sugar and 135 g milk until smooth; optionally add 1 small drop of yellow gel coloring.

Strain into a heatproof bowl and cover with a heatproof lid or perforated wrap suitable for steaming.

Steam over boiling water for about 20–30 minutes, until cohesive, slightly translucent and free of raw liquid batter.

Toast a separate 10 g glutinous rice flour in a dry pan over low heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant, then cool for dusting.

Work 15 g unsalted butter into the hot dough with a spatula, then knead with clean gloves once cool enough to handle.

Wrap tightly and chill for 60 minutes.

Reserve 36 g for the bear details; divide the rest into 6 pieces and roll into rounds about 12 cm wide with a light dusting of toasted glutinous rice flour.

Whip 300 g cold cream with 20 g fine sugar until trails form, add 60 g cooled jam and whip until the cream holds its piped shape.

Set aside 180 g for the mochi, 150 g for the bread and 18 g for the cream rosettes on the bears.

Keep the piping bags refrigerated until needed; the remaining cream allows for bowl and piping losses.

Line a small bowl with each mochi skin, pipe 15 g cream into the base, add 8 g jam in the center and cover with another 15 g cream.

Gather and seal the edges, then turn seam-side down to make 6 round mochi.

For each bear, shape the reserved dough into two ears of 1.5 g each, two paws of 1 g each and a muzzle of 1 g.

Attach the ears with a barely damp fingertip and set the paws and muzzles aside for assembly.

Split each cooled roll lengthwise, leaving the base attached to support the filling.

Use 25 g cream per roll, piping some into the opening and the rest along both sides.

Place a mochi in the center, attach its muzzle with a barely damp fingertip and set the paws on the cream in front.

Gently melt 10 g dark chocolate over a water bath and let it cool slightly before transferring to a small piping bag.

Pipe the eyes and nose onto each bear.

Use 3 g cream for a rosette on each head and top it with 1 fresh raspberry.

Keep the buns refrigerated until serving.