Lingonberry Vanilla Custard Buns
I’m currently doing an Instagram series documenting what I would make if I owned my own bakery. These buns are #2 in the series, and I would gladly sell them to the public if given a chance.
These are my Lingonberry Vanilla Custard Buns, which were inspired by North Wild Kitchen’s raspberry buns. These buns use lingonberry jam to give it a Nordic kick, but this works with any jam or preserve you have on hand. The dough is lightly spiced with cardamom, and the homemade vanilla bean custard gives this bun a wonderful finishing touch.
I developed these buns to be super tender, fluffy, and delicious—and they are! You can wait to try these at my bakery in 10 years, or you can make them in the comfort of your own home right now. Happy baking!
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes (plus roughly 2 hours of rise time)
Yields: 9 buns
Ingredients:
For the buns:
2/3 cup whole milk
3 tbsp cane sugar
1 tsp active dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp freshly ground cardamom (pre-ground is fine for these, too)
1/4 tsp kosher salt (like Diamond Crystal)
1 large egg at room temp
2 1/2 tbsp salted butter, sliced into small pieces
For the filling:
1/4 cup salted butter, softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup lingonberry jam (cranberry, raspberry, or cherry are good subs)
For the custard:
2 large egg yolks at room temp
1/3 cup cane sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 cups whole milk
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
For the egg wash:
1 egg
1 tbsp water
For finishing:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Method:
Place the milk in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in 20-second intervals until it reaches 110ºF. You can do a finger test if you do not have a thermometer. It should feel like warm bath water—not too cold, but not scalding hot. If it is too hot, this will kill the yeast. Pour the milk into the bowl of your stand mixer. Whisk in the sugar and yeast and let sit for 5 minutes or until the yeast is nice and foamy.
Attach the dough hook to your stand mixer. Add the flour, cardamom, salt, and the egg. Knead this on low for 8 minutes. Add the butter slices, and then knead on low for a couple of minutes until the butter incorporates with the dough, then knead on medium-low for an additional 3-5 minutes or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and somewhat moist. I like to check if my dough is ready by doing the windowpane test. To complete this, tear off a small piece of dough and stretch it with your fingers. If it becomes thin and translucent, like a windowpane, this means that the gluten is well-developed and the dough will rise properly; if the dough tears easily, it needs more kneading. I have a picture of what this should look like at the end of the method.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm area for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
To make the filling, mix the softened butter and brown sugar in a small bowl until well combined. For now, leave the jam separate.
For the custard, in a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar, then whisk in the cornstarch. Put the milk in a small saucepan. Whisk in the vanilla bean paste or extract. Place over low heat and warm until it is just about to simmer. Gradually pour the warm milk slowly and steadily into the egg yolk and sugar mixture, whisking constantly to avoid curdling the eggs. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and continue to whisk the custard over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes or until the custard has thickened considerably. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. If it cools too much, you can place plastic wrap over the surface of the custard to prevent a film from crusting over the top. Also, make sure to give it a good whisk before you use it on the buns.
Roll the dough out into a 15x10-inch rectangle on a clean, lightly floured surface. Spread the butter/sugar mixture all over the surface of the dough with an offset spatula, even to the edges. Place the jam on top and evenly spread it over the butter/sugar mixture. Roll the dough up from the long side (15-inch side) and roll it into an even log. Cut the log into 8 or 9 equal buns with a sharp serrated knife. Place the buns 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm spot for 30-40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Using the back of a tablespoon, create a large indent in the center of each bun. Place 1 tbsp of custard in each bun. If you have extra custard left over, refrigerate it and use it for another bake.
Whisk the egg and water for the egg wash in a small bowl. Lightly brush the egg wash onto each bun (don’t brush the custard, though). Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown, and the buns have an internal temperature of 200ºF. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool for a bit, then dust each bun with powdered sugar. Enjoy! These are best eaten the day they are baked but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days.
Example of the windowpane test
