A picture-perfect dish, consisting of soft, white, almost cloud-like steamed buns, filled with a vibrant, creamy yellow mascarpone mix that seeps enticingly out from the bun's center when cut open. Beautiful thin slices of candied fennel and lemon zest accents are spread across the plate, providing a burst of color and texture.

Fennel-Infused Steamed Buns with Lemon Mascarpone

Name: Fennel-Infused Steamed Buns with Lemon Mascarpone
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Fusion
Ingredients: Fresh Fennel, 1 bulb thinly sliced for candying and garnish; Lemons, 2 zest and juiced; Chinese Steamed Buns, 8 buns; Mascarpone Cheese, 1 cup; Granulated Sugar, 1/2 cup for mascarpone mix, 1 cup for candied fennel; Plain Flour, for dusting; Milk, 1/4 cup for the burn dough; Eggs, 4 for the mascarpone mixture; Unsalted Butter, 1/2 cup melted

Category Dessert

Prep 30 minutes

Cook 15 minutes

Style Fusion

Technique Steaming

Diet Friendly Vegetarian

Daily Recipe: November 16, 2025

This delightful fusion desert combines Chinese culinary influences with fresh local produce to create a unique, flavorful, and visually stunning dessert. The dish features the unique flavor profile of fennel, balanced with the zest of lemons, lightness of Chinese steamed buns, and the richness of mascarpone cheese.

Ingredients (for 4)

Fresh fennel - 1 bulb - thinly sliced for candying and garnish
Lemons - 2 - zest and juiced
Chinese steamed buns - 8 buns
Mascarpone cheese - 1 cup
Granulated sugar - 1/2 cup for mascarpone mix, 1 cup for candied fennel
Plain flour - for dusting
Milk - 1/4 cup - for the burn dough
Eggs - 4 - for the mascarpone mixture
Unsalted butter - 1/2 cup - melted

Preparation

Step 1 - 🍳🍬🌿

Heat 1 cup of sugar in a pan and add thinly sliced fennel. Cook till the fennel is translucent and the sugar dissolved. Lay out the candied fennel to cool on parchment paper.
Step 2 - 🍋🥚🧀

Whip together mascarpone, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and egg yolks in a bowl until they form a smooth, creamy mixture.
Step 3 - 🔪🍞🥟

Cut the steamed buns halfway through to create a pouch. Fill each bun with the mascarpone mixture before steaming them for 10 minutes.
Step 4 - 🌿🍋🍽️

Garnish the buns with candied fennel and lemon zest for an extra touch of flavor and visual appeal. Serve immediately.

Additional

You can play around with the flavor profile according to your individual preferences - try mixing in other fall staples like cinnamon or nutmeg with the mascarpone mixture! This dish is also a great place to get kids involved, as they can have fun filling the buns and learning about new textures and flavors.