If I had to choose one bake to sum up autumn, it would be these apple crumble and custard buns. They are soft, pillowy tangzhong buns with a pool of vanilla custard in the middle, a spoonful of buttery caramelised apple, and a cinnamon oat crumble on top. They are the perfect autumn bun.
As the evenings draw in and the apples come into season, I want to bake something warm and comforting, the kind of thing you’d share with friends over a pot of coffee on a chilly afternoon. If you’re familiar with the Scandinavian tradition of fika, these buns belong right at the heart of it.
A recipe you can make over two days
There are a few different steps in this recipe, but don’t let that put you off, because several of them can be made the day before. The tangzhong dough is ideal for proving in the fridge overnight, and the crumble and the custard can both be made ahead too. On baking day, all that’s left is to cook the apple, shape the buns, prove, fill and bake.
Where this recipe came from
These apple crumble and custard buns bring together two recipes from my book, Buns: Sweet and Simple Bakes. The base is my Tangzhong Method Dough, which gives an incredibly soft, fluffy bun that stays fresher for longer. The crumble and shaping come from my Blackberry Oat Crumble Buns. I swapped the sweet cheese filling for custard and added cinnamon to the crumble, and I flatten each bun before proving so there’s plenty of room for the filling.
What makes them so good
- Tangzhong dough. Cooking a little flour and milk into a paste before adding it to the dough helps the buns hold moisture, so they are soft, springy and fluffy.
- Custard. Creamy vanilla custard is a lovely contrast to the apple and the crunchy topping.
- Caramelised apple. Dessert apples cooked in butter with a squeeze of lemon and a little light brown sugar become sticky and golden at the edges.
- Cinnamon oat crumble. Oats, demerara sugar and cinnamon give a crisp, buttery topping.
Apple Crumble and Custard Buns
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- 16 g strong white bread flour
- 80 g full-fat milk
Enriched dough
- 330 g strong white bread flour plus extra for dusting
- 5 g 1½ tsp fast-action dried yeast
- 65 g unsalted butter softened
- 40 g golden caster
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 145 g full-fat milk at room temperature
- 40 g beaten egg at room temperature
Vanilla custard
- 250 g full-fat milk
- 3 egg yolks about 55–60g
- 45 g golden caster
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 15 g cornflour cornstarch
- 12 g unsalted butter
Caramelised apple
- 2 dessert apples peeled, cored and diced
- 20 g butter
- A squeeze of lemon juice
- 25 g light brown sugar
Cinnamon oat crumble
- 60 g plain all-purpose flour
- 15 g porridge oats
- 30 g demerara light brown or turbinado sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
- 50 g unsalted butter cold
Egg wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp water
- A pinch of fine sea salt
- icing sugar fir dusting
Instructions
The day before
- Make the tangzhong. Put the milk and flour in a small saucepan and whisk together until smooth. Set the pan over a medium heat and whisk briskly with a small balloon whisk until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Continue to cook for a few seconds more, then remove from the heat and scrape every bit into a bowl with a rubber spatula. Cover the surface with a disc of baking paper and leave to cool to room temperature.
- Make the dough. Put the flour, yeast, butter, sugar, salt, milk and egg in a large bowl and mix to combine. Once the dough has come together, add the tangzhong and knead for 15-16 minutes. Alternatively, put the dough ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix on a slow speed until a dough forms. Add the tangzhong, increase the speed to medium–high and work the dough for at least 12 minutes, no less. Don’t be tempted to add more flour.
- To check the dough is ready, do the windowpane test: stretch a small piece of dough until a thin film forms in the middle without breaking. It should be thin enough for light to pass through. If it tears, knead a little longer. You’re looking for a silky, smooth dough that is bouncy and elastic.
- Bulk ferment overnight. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, tip the dough onto the work surface and shape it into a smooth round using a dough scraper or cupped hands. Lift it into a lidded plastic container large enough for the dough to expand and place it in the fridge overnight, for up to 12 hours. (If you’d rather bake the same day, place in the fridge for 3 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Make the crumble. Put the flour, oats, demerara sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Cut the cold butter into small dice and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles moist breadcrumbs. Shake the bowl and any big bits will come to the surface, so rub those in too. Cover and chill. You will have more crumble than you need for this batch, so see the freezing tip below.
- Make the custard. Pour the milk into a saucepan and set over a low heat. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla sugar and cornflour until pale and fluffy. When the milk comes to a simmer, pour it over the egg mixture, whisking as you pour. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and bring to a simmer, beating continuously. Continue to beat for 1–2 minutes on a medium–low heat, and the mixture will thicken rapidly. Once thickened, pour the custard into a clean bowl, add the butter and stir to combine. Place a piece of baking paper directly on the surface to stop a skin forming and leave to cool completely. Keep in the fridge overnight.
On baking day
- Cook the apple. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and sauté the apples until they begin to soften. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and the light brown sugar and cook until the apples begin to caramelise. Leave to cool completely.
- Shape the buns. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Knock back the dough, then weigh it and divide it into 10 even pieces. To shape each bun, add a very small amount of flour to the work surface and place your cupped hand over a portion of dough. Roll it in a circular motion until it is perfectly round, then place on the prepared tray. Gently flatten each bun with the palm of your hand.
- Prove. Cover with a lightly dampened dish towel and leave to prove for about 1–1½ hours, or until doubled in size. If the dough is still cool from the fridge or your kitchen is cold, it may take a little longer. Towards the end of the proving time, preheat the oven to 190°C fan (gas 6).
- Fill. Whisk together the egg wash ingredients. Have a small pastry tamper or glass about 4cm across the base ready. Sprinkle a little flour on the centre of a bun so the tamper doesn’t stick, then dip the tamper in flour, shake off the excess and press an indentation into the centre of the bun or make an aperture with floured fingers. Repeat with all the buns. Brush the buns with the egg wash. Spoon custard into the centre of each, pushing the spoon down so the filling sits nicely in the dough. Top with a teaspoon of caramelised apple, then sprinkle generously with the cinnamon oat crumble.
- Bake. Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until golden. Dust with a little icing sugar if you like and eat warm.
Tips
- Don’t skip the windowpane test. The dough should stretch thin enough for light to pass through, so keep kneading until it does.
- Cool the apple completely. Warm filling can make the buns difficult to fill.
- Don’t overfill. A teaspoon of apple per bun is enough, because the custard needs to stay in the dip.
- Flatten before proving. This gives you a wider surface for the filling and crumble.
- Freeze the spare crumble. The recipe makes more crumble than you need, but the mixture freezes beautifully. For example, pop the extra in a freezer bag or tub and use it straight from frozen next time you bake a batch of these buns, or sprinkle it over a fruit crumble.
Storage
These buns taste best when you eat them warm on the day of baking. However, because of the custard, keep any leftovers covered in the fridge and eat them within a day or two. Then warm them gently before serving.
FAQ
Can I make apple crumble and custard buns ahead of time?
Yes. The tangzhong dough is ideal for proving in the fridge overnight (up to 12 hours), and the crumble and custard can be made the day before too. On the day, cook the apple, shape, prove, fill and bake.
What apples are best for apple crumble and custard buns?
Dessert apples that hold their shape and have a good balance of sweet and tart. I used two, sautéed in butter until they began to caramelise.
What is tangzhong?
It is a paste of flour and milk cooked together before being added to the dough. It helps the buns stay soft, fluffy and fresher for longer.
Can I freeze the crumble?
Yes. There will be more crumble than you need, and the leftover mixture freezes well. Use it for your next batch of buns.
Can I use a different filling?
Absolutely. The same method works with the blackberry compote and sweet cheese filling in my book.
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