Swedish Vanilla Buns (Vaniljbullar)

Vaniljbullar are sweet, enriched, yeasted buns flavoured with cardamom, filled with an enticing creme patisserie and then delicately dusted with sugar. So light, and utterly delicious. These Swedish custard buns set themselves apart from any other.  Although they don’t quite have the same classic status as Cinnamon & Cardamom Buns, they are still popular with young and old in Sweden.

I’ve introduced the tangzhong method into this recipe.  What on earth is the tangzhong method you ask? Well, it has its origins in Japan.  A yeasted bread technique that involves cooking a portion of flour and liquid in the recipe into a thick paste prior to adding the remaining ingredients, resulting in soft, fluffy bread, that stays fresh a little longer.  How does this technique affect yeasted bread dough? What it does is it pre-gelatinises the starches in the flour, meaning they can absorb more water. In reality, flour will absorb twice as much hot water or milk as it does the lukewarm water or milk you’d usually use in yeasted doughs.

If you follow the simple steps below, I guarantee you, you’ll have delicious, light and extremely more-ish buns to share with your family and friends.

Print Recipe

Swedish Vanilla Buns(Vaniljbullar)

Prep Time50 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Proving time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course: Fika

Cuisine: Swedish

Keyword: buns,, Fika,, Swedish,

Servings: 16 buns

Ingredients

Tangzhong

• 65 ml water
• 70 ml milk
• 28 g strong white bread flour

Dough

• 30 g fresh yeast or 14g fast action yeast
• 250 ml milk
• 3 g sea salt
• 570 g strong white bread flour
• 2 tsp freshly ground cardamom
• 40 g caster sugar
• 110 g butter room temperature
• 1 egg extra for glazing

Creme patisserie

• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 395 g whole milk
• 90 g caster sugar
• 5 medium egg yolks
• 40 g cornflour
• 15 g unsalted butter room temperature

Coating

• melted butter for brushing
• caster sugar

Instructions

Tangzhong

• Place all three ingredients in a small saucepan. Whisk together with a balloon whisk, on a medium heat until it thickens and bubbles. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl and cover. Once it’s cooled to room temperature, it’s ready to use.

Creme patisserie

• Pour the milk into a saucepan and set to a low heat. In a bowl beat the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla bean paste and cornflour until pale and fluffy.
• When the milk has come to a simmer, pour over the egg mixture, whisking as you pour.
• Now pour the mixture back into the saucepan on a medium-heat, beating continuously. The mixture will thicken substantially. Pour into a clean bowl and whisk in the butter. Place a parchment disc directly on the surface of the custard to stop a skin forming. Cool completely before using.

Dough

• Pour the milk into a small saucepan and heat to 38°C, remove from the heat and add the fresh yeast, whisk to incorporate (if using fast action yeast add it to the flour). Place the flour, tangzhong, cardamom, sugar and salt in the bowl of a free standing mixer with the dough hook attached. Add the milk mixture and egg with the motor running. Mix until a dough forms on a slow speed.  Once the dough has come together add the butter, increase the pace to medium/high and work the dough for another 5-8 minutes or until it feels shiny and smooth.
• Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a tea towel and let it rest for 20-30 minutes to rest.
• Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Roll the dough into a long sausage and then divide into 16 even sized pieces. Roll each piece with a cupped hand into a bun shape. Then take a rolling pan and roll out into a flat disc. Repeat with the other buns. Place onto a lined baking tray. Prove for 35-40 minutes or until well risen.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.
• Now take the creme patisserie and whisk with a balloon or a hand electric whisk, beat until smooth. Place the creme patisserie in a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle.
• Once the buns have risen, carefully insert the nozzle into the centre of the bun and pipe some of the creme pat into the bun then finish with a swirl on the top. Brush with beaten egg and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Once the buns have cooled, bush with melted butter and roll them in caster sugar. Devour!

Tips:

• I often make the dough the day before and prove in the fridge.  When you are ready to bake the next day, follow from stage 3.  Because the dough is cold it will take longer to rise on the second proving.
• In order to speed proving time up you can place the buns in the oven, SWITCHED OFF with a bowl of freshly boiled water, don’t cover them.