The Cheat Emperor of the Culinary World

After mixing all the fillings, Fu Yu began to make the dough skins.

The skins for the crab roe buns were ready-made and could be used at any time.

However, the skins for the custard buns needed to be made from scratch.

The method was the same as when making Longevity Peaches.

Fu Yu had made them once before, so now it was easy for him.

He mixed flour with baking powder and sugar evenly.

Added yeast water and milk, kneaded until the dough was smooth and not sticky.

Placed the dough in a bowl twice its size and sealed it with cling film.

Used a toothpick to poke a few holes in the cling film.

Placed it in the steamer, set the temperature, and put the bowl inside.

While the dough skins were steaming, Fu Yu glanced at the mixed crab roe filling.

It had cooled down enough.

Added pork mince, sesame oil, and minced ginger onion.

Just as he was about to mix it, Li Shuli quickly reached out and said, ”Mixing, right? Let me do it!”

Li Shuli was now half confident in Fu Yu.

With this skill, simple pastries should not be a problem at all.

Fu Yu didn’t hesitate, leaving the mixing to Li Shuli, while he went to get some fermented dough from the pastry station.

Rolled out skins and wrapped them with crab roe filling.

Fu Yu had never done dough sculpting work before; now he was just relying on his experience with dough work to dare to give it a try.

However, like cooking, sculpting dough looks simple, but in practice, one realizes how difficult it is.

When he was shaping the Longevity Peaches before, Fu Yu did it all based on feel, and didn’t find it difficult.

But this time, he wasn’t sure if the crab roe filling was too thin or the Snow-Rong-Rong design was too unique.

He attempted a few pinches, and while the dough was slowly forming, the filling accidentally leaked out.

Ah, this!

Fu Yu tried to pinch the gap where the filling leaked, but the dough tore instead.

His operation was challenging.

Now everything was ready except the shape.

Was it still not possible?

Li Shuli’s heart sank to the bottom; he didn’t say it aloud, but his right hand habitually rubbed his middle finger due to anxiety.

This mascot shape must be difficult to mold, otherwise Yao Shi would have let the pastry chefs handle it.

Thinking this, Li Shuli turned to chat with the head pastry chef: ”Hey! Chef Wang, do you think this design is easy to shape?”

Wang Chengfeng was Qianlima’s head pastry chef, managing three pastry chefs and four helpers.

He was in his fifties, with over thirty years of pastry experience.

Wang Chengfeng came over, took a look, and shook his head: ”With this thin crab roe filling and thin skin, it’s hard to even make a stuffed bun, let alone this ’red doll’. You need skill to pinch folds for a dough sculpture; it won’t work just like that!”

As he spoke, he grabbed a piece of dough with nothing inside and demonstrated his bun pinching technique.

Li Shuli could only sigh.

If even Wang Chengfeng couldn’t do the dough sculpture!

Was Fu Yu too reckless?

Since it couldn’t be done, he shouldn’t have taken it on!

Better to follow Yao Shi’s lead and order a cake from outside!

But Fu Yu didn’t lose heart.

When he made the Longevity Peaches, he managed it just by feel. The filling ratio and skin amount followed the special banquet recipe exactly!

Why couldn’t it be done now?

As thoughts raced, Fu Yu suddenly recalled something.

The Longevity Peaches were done entirely by him from start to finish.

Whereas this dough for the bun skins was premade from the pastry station.

Would it work if he fermented the dough himself?

Just then, Wang Chengfeng showed Fu Yu the pinched air-bun, explaining: ”These folds aren’t random. Place the filling in the center, pinch folds from the edges, bring each fold to the center, and avoid pressing the other folds while pinching...”

Fu Yu observed the bun created by Wang Chengfeng. Without filling, it was just lifted by the folds.

The shape was indeed intricate, with a neat and beautiful circle of small folds.

Fu Yu nodded, memorizing the bun pinching technique, but used handmade dough instead of premade skins.

He mixed flour with yeast, baking powder, and sugar.

Using the method from when he made the Longevity Peaches, he quickly kneaded and fermented the dough.

While the dough was fermenting, he took out the premade custard bun dough.

This time the dough had risen to fill the bowl.

Kneaded the dough until smooth, since only one was made, uses were small.

Following the hints from the special banquet recipe, he checked to make sure the dough wouldn’t stick before shaping.

Taking the filling from the fridge, kneaded evenly.

Flattened the dough, wrapped the filling.

As Fu Yu was about to shape it, an electronic notification chimed:

[Ding! New Award in the Kitchen: Congratulations on receiving NPC Chef Wang Chengfeng’s personal skill: Dough Sculpting (Intermediate)]

Fu Yu’s heart leapt with joy!

He didn’t expect such a coveted reward, gaining skills from Chef Wang so quickly!

Armed with this intermediate dough sculpting skill, Fu Yu felt much more relaxed when kneading the dough.

Fu Yu pinched the dough, his thumb and index finger shaping it, fingertips applying pressure from light to heavy, fast to slow...

Li Shuli watched nervously, fearing Fu Yu might mess and cause the bun to leak again!

It was nerve-wracking...

Li Shuli’s palms were slightly sweaty.

He watched Fu Yu intently.

Fu Yu’s steady and deft hands moved skillfully, each pinch and press executed perfectly!

The skill was impressive.

Li Shuli was in awe...

Finally!

Ten minutes later, Fu Yu created a rough shape of Bing Dwen Dwen.

Though a pure white mass, the mascot’s form was distinctly recognizable.

Fu Yu placed the shaped dough into the steamer, turned up the heat to steam.

Simultaneously, he began shaping Xue Rong Rong again.

Now more experienced, his movements smoother for Xue Rong Rong.

Once finished, it too went into the steamer, high heat steaming.

It wasn’t over yet.

After the custard and crab roe buns cooled.

Fu Yu began decorating using colorful chocolate and jam.

He tackled Bing Dwen Dwen first.

The panda head adorned with colorful rings, entirely done in jam.

The black body wrapped in black chocolate.

The eyes, as the final touch, were three-dimensional, crafted from chocolate.

When Fu Yu carefully placed the dried Bing Dwen Dwen on a plate, the mascot identical to a photo was complete.

Li Shuli stared at the Bing Dwen Dwen, eyes full of disbelief.

He actually did it?

Amazing!

Watching Fu Yu focus on the next step, Li Shuli was momentarily dazzled.

Fu Yu, though still in chef attire, busy at the pastry station, exuded a calm confidence that everything was under control.