Rhubarb Custard Brioche Buns Recipe

These Rhubarb Custard Brioche Buns are individually sized, pillowy sweet brioches topped with a creamy, luscious bake stable custard and tangy, partly roasted rhubarb. As it’s currently the height of rhubarb season, I used locally grown rhubarb for that extra sour note to balance the sweet custard and soft brioche. You could also use any fresh or frozen berry or part cooked fruit. These are delicious for a lavish breakfast or brunch or with a cup of tea.

Ok so how do I make these Rhubarb Custard Brioche Buns from scratch?

These gorgeous buns do take a few steps but most f the work is waiting for the custard to chill and the dough to prove. To make these stunning brioches, you can follow these steps;

• Bake stable custard
• Roasted Rhubarb
• Brioche Dough
• Shaping & Filling

Bake Stable Custard

To begin the bake stable custard, add the milk, sugar and vanilla to a small saucepan and heat on medium until it barely begins to boil. In a small bowl, add the egg yolk and cornflour and whisk together until no lumps remain. Remove the hot milk from the heat and add a ladle full of milk into the yolks. Whisk briskly and return the liquid to the saucepan. Whisk together and cook on a low heat whisking constantly for another 3-4 minutes until the custard has thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Pour into a bowl and place cling film directly onto the surface of the custard. Leave to cool while you prepare the dough and rhubarb.

Roasted Rhubarb

Wash and chop the rhubarb into chunks and place onto a baking tray along with the sugar. Toss together to coat. Bake for 10 minutes until the rhubarb has softened slightly.

Brioche Dough

Using a small saucepan on low heat or in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl, heat up the milk until barely warm to the touch. Place the warmed milk into a bowl or measuring jug. Sprinkle over the sugar and yeast and whisk together briskly. Leave to one side for 15-20 minutes. Whisk together the yeast mixture again and add into the stand mixer bowl along with all the other ingredients for the dough. Mix with a dough hook on speed 3 for 5 minutes until a smooth, elastic dough forms. Cover the bowl with cling film or a tea towel and leave in a warm place for at least 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size.

Shaping & Filling

Once the dough has risen sufficiently, turn out onto a flat, lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 10 pieces roughly 90 grams each. Roll each piece into a ball and place on lined flat baking trays with plenty of space in between. Rest the dough for another 10-15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°c (360°f) or 170°c (340°c) if fan assisted. Press down into the centre of the dough creating a well in the middle. You can also use a shot glass or a small jar to shape the middle. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for another 15 minutes. Spoon 1 large tablespoon of custard onto each brioche bun. Place 3 chunks of rhubarb into the custard on each bun. Brush the edges of the brioche with milk and leave for another 15 minutes to rise. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown all over. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Can I use store bought custard for these Rhubarb Custard Brioche Buns?

Short answer: yes. Long answer: yes with adjustments. You can use some store bought custards for this recipe.

If you are thinking about dry custard powder that you simply add hot milk to, this won’t work for this recipe. As the powders don’t contain any egg, they don’t quite hold up the same in the oven. It’s very possible a powder (like Birds) will remain a little too liquid and spill over. However, there is a bake stable custard powder that is bought in professional bakeries that may be used, like this one by Bakels.

You may use a premade store bought custard for this recipe but you must make sure it’s a very thick custard. To thicken a premade store bought custard, mix 1 tbsp of cornflour with 2 tbsp of water to create a paste. Add this into a small saucepan along with your custard. Heat this on a low heat for 3-4 minutes, constantly stirring until thickened. Transfer to a bowl, use cling film to cover the surface of the custard and allow to cool before using.

How should I store these?

These rhubarb custard brioche buns can be tricky to store.Brioche bread typically doesn’t store well in the fridge, however the custard needs to be stored at a low temperature. Typically, I store them in an airtight container in a cool place in my kitchen. If you do live in a warm climate, I would advise you to store them in the fridge once cooled. Remove from the fridge and allow to come up to room temperature 20-30 minutes before eating.

How long do these Rhubarb Custard Brioche Buns last for?

As the main component of these buns is a soft, sweet brioche dough, they don’t stay fresh for long. They keep well if stored correctly for about 2 days only before they start to dry out and become a little hard.

For more Rhubarb Recipes, check out my Best Rhubarb Desserts and Baking Recipes post.