Buchteln with Vanilla Custard
Buchteln are soft, sweet yeast dumplings, traditionally filled with jam and baked until golden brown. They are typically served warm with a rich vanilla custard sauce, making for a comforting and classic Austrian dessert.
🧂 Ingredients
- 250 ml Warm milk(for the dough)
- 7 g Instant yeast
- 80 g Sugar(for the dough)
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 large Eggs
- 125 g Unsalted butter(softened, for the dough)
- 500 g Bread flour
- 350 g Apricot jam(for filling)
- 3 tbsp Melted butter(for brushing)
- to taste Icing sugar(for dusting)
- 350 ml Milk(for the custard)
- 150 ml Cream(for the custard)
- 100 g Sugar(for the custard)
- 4 large Egg yolks(for the custard)
- 1 Vanilla bean(split and scraped, for the custard)
- 2 cl Brown rum(for the custard)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
For the Buchteln dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
💡 Tip: Ensure all dry ingredients are well combined before adding wet ingredients. - 2
In another bowl, whisk together the warm milk, yeast, eggs, and softened butter.
💡 Tip: Make sure the milk is lukewarm, not hot, to activate the yeast properly. - 3
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and knead with a dough hook attachment for about 5 minutes, or until a smooth dough forms.
💡 Tip: The dough should be smooth and elastic, pulling away from the sides of the bowl. - 4
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
💡 Tip: A slightly warm oven (turned off) can be a good place for dough to rise. - 5
Punch down the dough and divide it into 10-12 equal portions.
💡 Tip: Work gently to avoid deflating the dough too much. - 6
Flatten each portion, place a spoonful of apricot jam in the center, and fold the dough around the jam to form a ball, sealing tightly.
💡 Tip: Ensure the jam is completely enclosed to prevent leakage during baking. - 7
Place the Buchteln seam-side down in a greased baking dish, close together but not touching.
💡 Tip: Close spacing helps them rise upwards and become soft and pillowy. - 8
Cover and let the shaped Buchteln rise for another 30 minutes.
- 9
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Brush the Buchteln with melted butter.
💡 Tip: Brushing with butter adds richness and helps achieve a golden crust. - 10
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with more melted butter while hot, if desired.
💡 Tip: Basting with butter after baking adds extra moisture and flavor. - 11
For the vanilla custard: Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. Boil milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla seeds in a saucepan.
💡 Tip: Ensure the vanilla seeds are evenly distributed. - 12
Whisk egg yolks into the hot milk mixture until it begins to thicken. Remove the vanilla bean and stir in the rum.
💡 Tip: Temper the egg yolks by gradually adding a little hot milk before whisking them into the main mixture to prevent scrambling. - 13
Let the Buchteln cool slightly, dust with icing sugar, and serve warm with the vanilla custard.
💡 Tip: Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓If using active dry yeast, bloom it in the warm milk with a pinch of sugar for 10-15 minutes before adding to the flour.
- ✓You can use other jams like plum or cherry for the filling.
- ✓For a richer custard, use only egg yolks.
🔄 Variations
- Fill Buchteln with chocolate spread or a mixture of nuts and honey.
- Serve with a fruit compote instead of custard.