Sweet Buns from Birmingham Chinatown

When I went to have dim sum lunch in China Court, I bought also some Chinese sweet buns. I am not sure if I call them "Chinese", purely because I bought from a Chinese bakery, not because they are particularly Chinese in taste.

These are the buns. I paid £2 for three (buy 2 get 1 free).



This is a custard cream bun.



The custard cream was not of the highest quality in a patisserie way, but sufficiently enjoyable.

Then, this is sweet red bean bun.



Sweet red bean paste is made of azuki beans and sugar, which is hugely popular in China and in Japan (and also elsewhere, but I don't know). Some European people find the mixture of beans and sugar disgusting, but some, including my Greek husband, like it.

Lastly, chesnut paste bun.



I expected the chesnut paste to be yellow, as it is usually yellow in Japan, but it was brown, meaning that the paste is made also with brown skin (not to confuse with the brown shell) of chesnut. It was different from what I expected, but was also enjoyable.

In all these three buns, the quantity of filling was not as generous as it is in Japan, but as the bread was so moreish, it was fine nevertheless.

If you have never tried, I recommend you to do so.

I bought these from
China Court Bakery (just below the China Court restaurant)
中華閣麺包
24 Ladywell Walk, Birmingham, B6 4ST
Tel. 0121-666 7031
Fax. 0121-622 1860

The Chinese bakery next to Day-In Supermarket, and in front of Cafe Soya in Arcadian makes the same kind of things, and just as good.