Dutch custard buns · bakery classic
Soft buns. Proper pastry cream. Plenty in every bite.
The Dutch bakery classic: a long, soft milk bun that is baked first, split only after cooling and generously piped with thick vanilla pastry cream.
The complete formula
Ten Dutch custard buns
Starting point: 10 buns at 125 g each, made from about 79 g of bread dough and 46 g of pastry cream per bun.Active preparation: about 40 min · Baking: about 12–14 min. Chilling and proofing take additional time.
- Bread flour
- 100%455.7 g
- Whole milk
- 55%250.6 g
- Salt
- 1.8%8.2 g
- Instant yeast
- 1.5%6.8 g
- Butter
- 8%36.5 g
- Sugar
- 8%36.5 g
- Vanilla pastry cream
- 100%455.7 g
The filling, separately
Vanilla pastry cream for ten buns
The total filling scales with the buns. This second formula divides that weight between milk, sugar, egg yolk, cornstarch and vanilla.- Whole milk
- 70%319 g
- Granulated sugar
- 14%63.8 g
- Egg yolk
- 8%36.5 g
- Cornstarch
- 7%31.9 g
- Vanilla
- 1%4.5 g
What this gives you
A tender crumb with enough cream for every bite.
The dough stays light and soft; the filling is thick enough to sit neatly along the split.Whole milk
For a soft, fine crumb without turning the dough into heavy brioche.
Dough per bun
A generous elongated roll that still bakes up light.
Cream per bun
Clearly filled from end to end without becoming excessive.
Oven
Bake for about 12–14 minutes, until lightly golden.
What makes this a Dutch custard bun
In the Dutch version, the custard is not baked inside the dough. First bake a soft white roll, cool it completely, split the top and pipe in the pastry cream afterward.
The main formula counts the finished pastry cream at 100% of the flour weight. That means a target of 125 grams really is about 125 grams per filled bun.
The separate filling formula uses percentages of the pastry-cream weight: 70% milk, 14% sugar, 8% egg yolk, 7% cornstarch and 1% vanilla. The filling therefore scales cleanly with the batch.
Method
Make the cream first, bake the buns second, fill only when cold.
The cream needs time to set; the buns must cool completely before they are split.- Thick and smooth
Cook the pastry cream
Heat the milk and vanilla. Whisk the egg yolk, sugar and cornstarch smooth, whisk in the hot milk, then return everything to the pan and cook until thick and glossy.
- Cold and pipeable
Chill the cream quickly
Spread the cream in a shallow dish, cover the surface directly and chill completely. Whisk briefly until smooth before piping.
- Smooth windowpane
Mix and knead
Mix the flour, milk, yeast and sugar. Add the salt, knead until structure develops, then work in the soft butter gradually.
- Airy and active
Let the dough rise
Cover and leave until noticeably fuller, lighter and springy. Enriched dough may need a little more time.
- Smooth, taut rolls
Divide and shape long
Divide into ten pieces of about 79 grams. Round lightly, rest, then roll into even buns about 13 centimetres long.
- Lightly golden
Proof and bake
Proof until a light indentation returns slowly. Brush lightly with milk or egg if desired and bake for 12–14 minutes at 210°C. Cool under a clean towel for a soft crust.
- Cream in every bite
Split, fill and dust
Cut each cold bun lengthwise from the top without cutting through. Pipe about 46 grams of pastry cream along the entire opening and dust lightly with confectioners' sugar.
When bun and filling are not quite cooperating
The buns turn dry
Do not bake them dark. Remove them when lightly golden and cool under a clean towel.
The cream runs out
Cook it until properly thick and chill it completely. Warm pastry cream always appears looser.
The buns tear while splitting
Cool them fully and use a small serrated knife. Cut deeply enough to fill, but not through the base.
The filling sits only in the middle
Use a piping bag and fill the full length in one steady pass, from end to end.
Frequently asked questions
Is vanilla pudding the same as pastry cream?
Not quite. Pastry cream is a firm custard made with egg yolk and starch, designed to remain smooth and pipeable when cold.
Can I use custard powder?
Yes. Make it thick enough to pipe and keep the calculated total filling weight. Its flavor and texture will differ from egg-yolk pastry cream.
Can I make the cream a day ahead?
Yes. Cover the surface, chill it quickly and refrigerate well covered for up to one day. Whisk briefly before filling.
Can Dutch custard buns be frozen?
Freeze the unfilled buns if possible. Pastry cream can become watery or grainy after thawing.
Ready to fill