Clever with custard
Good Food reader Gosia Bruen shares one of her favourite recipes, for when you fancy a sweet breakfast or afternoon treat
Custard buns
I love the creamy vanilla custard in this recipe, all wrapped up in a soft bun and topped with streusel. I take baking classes as a hobby, and often pass this recipe to other home bakers.
MAKES 8 buns PREP 1 hr 30 mins plus overnight proving and 1 hr cooling COOK 20 mins MORE EFFORT V.
300g strong white lour, plus 1 tsp
and extra for dusting
175ml double cream
45g caster sugar, plus 1 tsp
2 tsp fast-action dried yeast
1 egg, plus 3 egg yolks and 1 egg white, at room temperature (freeze the extra whites to use in another recipe) vegetable oil, for proving
1 tbsp whole milk fresh or roasted fruit (such as plums
or rhubarb), to serve (optional)
For the streusel
15g plain lour
15g icing sugar
15g cold unsalted butter
For the custard
60g caster sugar
15g corn lour
1 egg
90ml whole milk
160ml double cream
½ tsp vanilla bean paste
Tip 35g of the flour and the cream into a pan and whisk over a low heat for 1-2 mins until smooth. Pour into a heatproof bowl and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, mix 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp flour and the yeast with 1 tbsp warm water. Cover. Leave for 15 mins until bubbling.
Tip the egg and egg yolks into a large bowl or stand mixer with the 45g sugar. Beat for 4-5 mins until pale and fluy. Reduce the speed to low, add 1/4 tsp salt and the cream mixture, and beat to combine. Add the yeast mixture and sift in the remaining 265g flour, then mix on a low speed for 10 mins using the dough hook attachment. Or, knead by hand for 5 mins, rotating the bowl as you do.
Cover and leave to prove in a warm place for 20 mins. Knead again for 3-5 mins until the dough is stretchy, then transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave at room temperature for another 20 mins. Transfer to the fridge to prove for about 8-12 hrs, or until doubled in size.
For the streusel, mix the flour with the sugar and a pinch of salt, then rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Keep in the the freezer until ready to use.
For the custard, whisk the sugar, cornflour and 1/4 tsp salt together in a small bowl. Add the egg and whisk to combine, then whisk in the milk and set aside. Bring the cream and vanilla to the boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the egg mixture slowly, whisking continuously. Cook over a low-medium heat for
7-10 mins, whisking all the time, until smooth and thick. Remove from the heat, cover and leave to cool for 30 mins.
5 Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until 2cm thick. Stamp out eight 6cm circles and use a tablespoon to press a dip into the middle of each. Using your hands, stretch each circle to about 8cm, keeping a raised border. Arrange on a large baking tray lined with baking parchment and fill each dip with 1 tbsp of the custard. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
6 Leave to prove in a warm place for 30 mins until they slowly spring back when gently pressed. Mix the egg white with 1 tbsp milk and a pinch of salt and brush this over the sides of the buns. Sprinkle with the frozen streusel.
7 Bake for 10 mins, then reduce the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and bake for another 8-10 mins. Leave to cool for 30 mins, then serve with fresh or roasted fruit, if you like. Will keep chilled for up to two days. Serve at room temperature.
PER BUN 451 kcals • fat 23g • saturates 13g • carbs 49g
• sugars 18g • ibre 1g • protein 10g • salt 0.4g