🍮🥐 Soft Custard Buns
These Soft Custard Buns are pillowy, buttery, and lightly sweet, filled with a rich homemade vanilla custard that’s smooth, creamy, and wonderfully fragrant.
The soft yeast dough bakes up golden on the outside while staying tender and fluffy inside. They’re perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea, brunch, lunchboxes, or a special homemade bakery-style treat.
Recipe Information
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Rising Time: 1½–2 hours
- Bake Time: 18–22 minutes
- Total Time: About 2½ hours
- Yield: 10–12 buns
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Method: Oven-baked
Ingredients
For the Buns
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2¼ teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast
- ¾ cup (180 ml) warm milk
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Vanilla Custard
- 1½ cups (360 ml) whole milk
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
- Pinch of salt
For the Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
Optional Finish
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Melted butter, for brushing
Instructions
Make the Vanilla Custard
1. Heat the Milk
Pour the milk into a medium saucepan.
Heat over medium-low heat until it is hot and steaming but not boiling.
Remove from the heat.
2. Whisk the Egg Mixture
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until smooth and slightly pale.
3. Temper the Eggs
Slowly pour about ½ cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
This gently raises the temperature of the eggs and prevents them from scrambling.
Pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.
4. Cook the Custard
Place the saucepan over medium-low heat.
Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens into a smooth custard.
This should take approximately 3–5 minutes.
Once thickened, cook for another 30 seconds while whisking.
5. Add Vanilla and Butter
Remove from the heat.
Stir in the vanilla extract and butter until completely smooth and glossy.
Transfer the custard to a shallow bowl.
Press plastic wrap directly against the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Refrigerate until completely chilled.
Make the Bun Dough
6. Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast.
Whisk briefly to distribute everything evenly.
7. Add the Wet Ingredients
Add the warm milk, egg, and vanilla extract.
Mix until a rough dough forms.
The milk should be warm rather than hot—approximately 100–110°F (38–43°C).
8. Knead the Dough
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.
Knead for approximately 8–10 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and knead on medium-low speed for about 6–8 minutes.
9. Add the Butter
Add the softened butter gradually, one small piece at a time.
Continue kneading until all the butter is incorporated and the dough becomes soft, smooth, and slightly tacky.
The dough should stretch without immediately tearing.
10. First Rise
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl.
Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.
Let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for approximately 1–1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
Shape the Custard Buns
11. Divide the Dough
Gently press down the risen dough to release excess air.
Transfer it to a lightly floured surface.
Divide into 10–12 equal pieces.
For evenly sized buns, each piece should weigh approximately 55–65 g.
12. Shape Each Bun
Take one piece of dough and flatten it gently into a small circle.
Place approximately 1 tablespoon of chilled vanilla custard in the center.
Carefully pull the edges of the dough up around the custard.
Pinch the seams firmly together to completely seal the filling inside.
Place the bun seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking tray.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Tip: Don’t overfill the buns. Too much custard can make them difficult to seal and may cause leaking during baking.
13. Second Rise
Cover the shaped buns loosely with a clean kitchen towel.
Let them rise for 30–45 minutes, or until noticeably puffy.
Avoid letting them overproof.
Bake the Buns
14. Preheat the Oven
About 15 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to:
350°F (175°C)
15. Apply the Egg Wash
Whisk together the egg and milk.
Gently brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash.
Be careful not to press down on the delicate risen dough.
16. Bake
Bake for approximately 18–22 minutes, or until the buns are puffed and beautifully golden brown.
If the tops brown too quickly, loosely cover them with aluminum foil for the final few minutes.
17. Finish
Remove the buns from the oven.
While still warm, optionally brush the tops lightly with melted butter for a soft, shiny finish.
Allow them to cool for at least 10–15 minutes before serving.
Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired.
Chef’s Tips
- Use chilled custard: Cold custard is much easier to wrap inside the dough.
- Don’t overfill: A modest amount of filling creates a better seal and prevents leaking.
- Seal the dough carefully: Any opening can allow custard to escape during baking.
- Don’t add too much flour: The dough should remain soft and slightly tacky.
- Knead thoroughly: Proper gluten development gives the buns their soft, stretchy texture.
- Watch the second rise: Overproofed buns can collapse or become less fluffy.
- Brush with butter after baking: This helps keep the crust soft and adds a delicious buttery finish.
Optional Custard Variations
Chocolate Custard
Replace 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder and add 50 g melted dark chocolate after cooking.
Coffee Custard
Dissolve 1–2 teaspoons instant espresso powder into the warm milk before making the custard.
Lemon Custard
Add 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest to the custard along with the vanilla.
Coconut Custard
Replace ½ cup of the whole milk with coconut milk and add 2 tablespoons shredded coconut.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these buns:
- Warm with coffee
- With afternoon tea
- Alongside fresh berries
- With powdered sugar
- With a light drizzle of melted chocolate
- As part of a breakfast or brunch spread
They’re especially delicious while the custard is still slightly warm and creamy.
Storage
Store completely cooled buns in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days because of the custard filling.
Allow them to sit at room temperature briefly before serving, or gently warm them in the microwave for about 10–15 seconds.
Freezing
For the best texture, freeze the unfilled baked buns rather than the custard-filled ones.
Wrap individually and freeze for up to 1 month.
Thaw at room temperature, then warm gently before filling with freshly prepared custard.
Final Result
Soft, golden Custard Buns with a tender, fluffy yeast dough surrounding a silky homemade vanilla custard center. Each bite is buttery, creamy, fragrant, and wonderfully bakery-style—perfect for breakfast, tea time, or an indulgent homemade treat. 🍮🥐