Norwegian Vanilla Custard Buns (Skoleboller or Skolebrød)

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Norwegian Vanilla Custard Buns (Skoleboller or Skolebrød)

A delicious vanilla custard-filled cardamom bun brushed with powdered sugar icing and sprinkled with coconut. A Norwegian classic!

Prep Time25

Cook Time20

Rising Time2 40

Total Time3 25

Course: breads, Fika

Cuisine: Nordic, Norwegian, Scandinavian

Servings: Buns

Calories: 325kcal

Author: Kristi

Ingredients

For the Tangzhong:

5 tablespoons water
5 tablespoons whole milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For the Dough:

6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter cooled
½ cup whole milk slightly warm
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom seeds or ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
All of the Tangzhong cooled

For the Vanilla Custard Filling:

2 large egg yolks
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup whole milk or half and half
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Icing and Coconut Sprinkle

¾ cup powdered sugar
1 ½ tablespoons milk or water
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of fine salt
1 cup of shredded coconut for sprinkling I prefer sweetened coconut

Instructions

Make the tangzhong: Combine water, milk and flour in a medium saucepan. Whisk until combined and no lumps remain. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook mixture, whisking constantly, until it thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Make the dough: While the tangzhong cools, begin preparing the rest of the ingredients for the dough. Whisk the yeast, cardamom, salt, sugar and flour in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Attach the dough hook or roller to the mixer. Add melted and cooled butter, milk, egg, egg yolk and the cooled tangzhong (it can be slightly warm to the touch) to the mixing bowl. Mix on medium low until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until the dough just comes together.
Increase mixer speed to medium and knead mixture for 3-4 minutes or until dough is slightly tacky but not sticky and clears the side of the bowl. It’s okay if it’s sticking to the bottom of the bowl slightly. Add an extra tablespoon of flour as necessary if your dough seems too sticky. You can also mix and knead the dough by hand but it will take longer, more like 8-10 minutes.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for about 2 hours or until it is 1 ½ or 2 times its original size. The time will largely depend on the temperature of your kitchen.
Meanwhile, make the Vanilla Custard Filling: Combine the egg yolks, butter, cornstarch, half and half, sugar and salt together in a medium saucepan. Place the pan over medium low heat and whisk constantly until mixture is smooth and thick, about 3-5 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Stir in vanilla. Place a piece of parchment paper directly on top of the pastry cream, followed by a layer of plastic wrap (this prevents the custard from forming a skin). Refrigerate until you are ready to use. (The Vanilla Custard Filling can be made 1-2 days in advance.)
Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it onto a clean, unfloured countertop. Divide the dough into 12 equally sized pieces. Form each piece into a loose ball and flatten so that it is a puck shape that is about ¾ inch thick. Cover and let the buns rise for 40 minutes at room temperature.
Using a spice jar lid or something of similar size, press into the center of each bun to create a defined well. Transfer buns to the oven and bake for 9 minutes. Remove the buns from the oven and carefully use a rounded metal teaspoon to reform the well (it will have almost disappeared as the buns rise in the oven). Fill each well with a heaping teaspoon of the Vanilla Custard Filling. Return to the oven and continue to bake until golden brown, about 9 minutes more. Remove the buns from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, make the Icing: Whisk all ingredients except coconut together in a medium bowl until smooth. Using a pastry or basting brush, brush each bun with icing around the custard center. Sprinkle with coconut, avoiding the center. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

To substitute active dry yeast for the instant yeast: Proof the active dry yeast in the warm milk for about 10 minutes prior to adding it to the dough.

To store: These buns are at their very best just after baking, but should you have leftovers, these buns should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator (because of the custard filling) for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature or warm slightly before enjoying.

To freeze: Once the buns have cooled completely, pop them in a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container and tightly seal. They will keep for about 3 months in the freezer. To reheat, just set the bun or buns on an ovenproof plate and place in 250 degree oven until warmed through.

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