Chocolate and Vanilla Custard Brioche Buns
Indulge in these heavenly brioche buns, each one lovingly stuffed with a luscious blend of rich chocolate and creamy vanilla custard. The pillowy texture of the buns perfectly complements the decadent filling, making every bite a delightful treat. Get ready to impress your friends and family with this easy-to-make dessert that’s sure to satisfy any sweet tooth!
Prep
90
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
8
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- 70g unsalted butter, cubed and softened (4.9 tbsp)
- 50ml double cream (= heavy cream) (1.69 fl oz)
- Egg wash (1 egg whisked and sifted)
- 250 ml whole milk (38 °C) (8.45 fl oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(6)
- 165 g strong white bread flour (1.32 cup)
- 130 dark chocolate chips (4.59 oz)
- 385g T45 flour (or just more strong white) (3.08 cup)or just more strong white flour
- 75g sugar (0.38 cup)
- 230-250ml thick vanilla custard (recipe in the comments) (7.77-8.45 fl oz)
- 7g instant yeast (0.25 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 3g salt (0.11 oz)
📦Other(1)
- 40g active sourdough starter (optional - keep the same recipe if not using) (1.41 oz)optional
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
514
Protein
11g
Carbs
65g
Fat
23g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In the bowl of your stand mixer, add warm milk, sugar, cream, starter and yeast first.
- 2
Then add both flours and the salt. Mix on low for 3 minutes and medium speed for 3 minutes.
- 3
Go back to low speed and add the butter little by little. Continue kneading for 10-12 minutes more until smooth and the butter is fully incorporated.
- 4
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm spot (25–28 °C) for 75-90 minutes until almost doubled.
- 5
Roll the dough into a 60 × 40 cm rectangle.
- 6
Spread the custard evenly and then the chocolate chips.
- 7
Fold the dough twice (like an envelope) - put in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.
- 8
Slice into long strips (8-9 for large buns).
- 9
Twist each strip several times and shape into a roll.
- 10
Place on baking trays lined with baking paper and let rise in a warm place for around 60 minutes, until puffy.
- 11
Preheat your oven to 200°C.
- 12
Gently brush the buns with the egg wash.
- 13
Bake for 13-15 minutes until slightly golden.
- 14
Optional: brush with some syrup (2 tsp sugar mixed with 2 tsp boiling water) for a glossy finish while still hot.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Add butter at 20-22°C (soft but not melted) in 8-10 small pieces over 10-12 minutes on low speed, waiting 60-90 seconds between additions so the dough can fully absorb each portion before the next—cold butter won't emulsify into the dough, creating greasy streaks instead of a cohesive, silky crumb.technique20-22°C butter, 8-10 pieces, 60-90 seconds between additions
- ✓Maintain dough temperature at 26-27°C during bulk fermentation by adjusting your room or using a proofing box—brioche dough ferments 15-20% faster per 2°C increase, so 28°C risks overproofing and butter separation within 60 minutes instead of the full 75-90 minute window.timing26-27°C optimal, ±2°C changes fermentation rate by 15-20%
- ✓Freeze the folded dough for exactly 8-10 minutes (not longer) to set the folds structurally while keeping the dough pliable enough to slice cleanly—over-chilling below -5°C will make the dough brittle and cause the chocolate chips to shatter when you cut, while under-chilling won't hold the laminated shape.timing8-10 minutes at -2 to -5°C
- ✓Use a bench scraper or sharp serrated knife (not a dull knife) to slice the dough strips in one downward motion without sawing—dragging through the dough compresses the laminated layers by 30-40%, reducing rise potential by collapsing the air pockets created during folding.equipmentSingle downward motion vs. sawing reduces layer collapse by 30-40%
- ✓Warm your milk to exactly 38°C before mixing because milk warmer than 40°C will begin denaturing whey proteins, reducing dough elasticity by 10-15%, while milk below 35°C slows yeast activation and requires an extra 15-20 minutes of fermentation to reach target volume.ingredient38°C optimal; >40°C reduces elasticity 10-15%, <35°C adds 15-20 min fermentation
Share this recipe
Prep
90
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
8
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Chocolate and Vanilla Custard Brioche Buns
Indulge in these heavenly brioche buns, each one lovingly stuffed with a luscious blend of rich chocolate and creamy vanilla custard. The pillowy texture of the buns perfectly complements the decadent filling, making every bite a delightful treat. Get ready to impress your friends and family with this easy-to-make dessert that’s sure to satisfy any sweet tooth!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- 70g unsalted butter, cubed and softened (4.9 tbsp)
- 50ml double cream (= heavy cream) (1.69 fl oz)
- Egg wash (1 egg whisked and sifted)
- 250 ml whole milk (38 °C) (8.45 fl oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(6)
- 165 g strong white bread flour (1.32 cup)
- 130 dark chocolate chips (4.59 oz)
- 385g T45 flour (or just more strong white) (3.08 cup)or just more strong white flour
- 75g sugar (0.38 cup)
- 230-250ml thick vanilla custard (recipe in the comments) (7.77-8.45 fl oz)
- 7g instant yeast (0.25 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 3g salt (0.11 oz)
📦Other(1)
- 40g active sourdough starter (optional - keep the same recipe if not using) (1.41 oz)optional
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
514
Protein
11g
Carbs
65g
Fat
23g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In the bowl of your stand mixer, add warm milk, sugar, cream, starter and yeast first.
- 2
Then add both flours and the salt. Mix on low for 3 minutes and medium speed for 3 minutes.
- 3
Go back to low speed and add the butter little by little. Continue kneading for 10-12 minutes more until smooth and the butter is fully incorporated.
- 4
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm spot (25–28 °C) for 75-90 minutes until almost doubled.
- 5
Roll the dough into a 60 × 40 cm rectangle.
- 6
Spread the custard evenly and then the chocolate chips.
- 7
Fold the dough twice (like an envelope) - put in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.
- 8
Slice into long strips (8-9 for large buns).
- 9
Twist each strip several times and shape into a roll.
- 10
Place on baking trays lined with baking paper and let rise in a warm place for around 60 minutes, until puffy.
- 11
Preheat your oven to 200°C.
- 12
Gently brush the buns with the egg wash.
- 13
Bake for 13-15 minutes until slightly golden.
- 14
Optional: brush with some syrup (2 tsp sugar mixed with 2 tsp boiling water) for a glossy finish while still hot.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Add butter at 20-22°C (soft but not melted) in 8-10 small pieces over 10-12 minutes on low speed, waiting 60-90 seconds between additions so the dough can fully absorb each portion before the next—cold butter won't emulsify into the dough, creating greasy streaks instead of a cohesive, silky crumb.technique20-22°C butter, 8-10 pieces, 60-90 seconds between additions
- ✓Maintain dough temperature at 26-27°C during bulk fermentation by adjusting your room or using a proofing box—brioche dough ferments 15-20% faster per 2°C increase, so 28°C risks overproofing and butter separation within 60 minutes instead of the full 75-90 minute window.timing26-27°C optimal, ±2°C changes fermentation rate by 15-20%
- ✓Freeze the folded dough for exactly 8-10 minutes (not longer) to set the folds structurally while keeping the dough pliable enough to slice cleanly—over-chilling below -5°C will make the dough brittle and cause the chocolate chips to shatter when you cut, while under-chilling won't hold the laminated shape.timing8-10 minutes at -2 to -5°C
- ✓Use a bench scraper or sharp serrated knife (not a dull knife) to slice the dough strips in one downward motion without sawing—dragging through the dough compresses the laminated layers by 30-40%, reducing rise potential by collapsing the air pockets created during folding.equipmentSingle downward motion vs. sawing reduces layer collapse by 30-40%
- ✓Warm your milk to exactly 38°C before mixing because milk warmer than 40°C will begin denaturing whey proteins, reducing dough elasticity by 10-15%, while milk below 35°C slows yeast activation and requires an extra 15-20 minutes of fermentation to reach target volume.ingredient38°C optimal; >40°C reduces elasticity 10-15%, <35°C adds 15-20 min fermentation