Skolebrød

Skolebrød (Norwegian School Bread Buns)

Skolebrød are soft, cardamom-scented buns filled with a vanilla custard cream and topped with icing and toasted coconut — a beloved Norwegian school lunch treat.

Prep

40 min

Cook

15 min

Total

55 min

Serves

12 buns

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• •250 ml (1 cup) whole milk, lukewarm, for the dough
• •75 g (5 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened, for the dough
• •75 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
• •7 g (1 packet) instant dry yeast, about 2¼ tsp
• •1 g (½ tsp) ground cardamom, freshly ground is best
• •1 g (½ tsp) fine salt
• •1 large egg, lightly beaten, for the dough
• •250 ml (1 cup) whole milk, for the custard
• •40 g (3 tbsp) cornstarch
• •60 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar, for the custard
• •1 g (½ tsp) vanilla bean paste or vanilla sugar, vanilla sugar is most traditional
• •1 large egg yolk, for the custard
• •200 g (7 oz) powdered sugar, for the icing
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) water or lemon juice, to thin the icing
• •60 g (½ cup) unsweetened desiccated coconut, toasted, for topping

Steps

1. 1 Make the dough: warm the milk to about 38°C / 100°F (body temperature). In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, cardamom and salt. Add the lukewarm milk, softened butter and beaten egg and mix to a shaggy dough, then knead by hand or with a stand mixer and dough hook for 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. The dough should be soft and only slightly tacky; add a little more flour if it sticks badly.
2. 2 Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot for 45–60 minutes, until roughly doubled in size.
3. 3 While the dough rises, make the custard: whisk the egg yolk, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. Heat the milk in a saucepan until just steaming. Slowly pour about half the hot milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly, then return the whole mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens to a thick pudding that holds a line when you draw a spoon through it, 3–5 minutes. The custard must reach at least 72°C / 162°F to be safe given the raw yolk. Transfer to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface (to prevent a skin) and chill completely.
4. 4 Shape the buns: punch the dough down and divide into 12 equal pieces (about 75 g each). Roll each piece into a smooth ball and place on two parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving room for rising. Using floured hands, press a deep well into the center of each ball, almost down to the bottom but keeping the wall intact so the filling won't escape — this is the classic skolebrød shape.
5. 5 Pipe or spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of chilled custard into each well. Cover loosely and let rise again for 25–35 minutes, until visibly puffy.
6. 6 Bake one sheet at a time in a preheated oven at 200°C / 400°F (convection 180°C / 360°F) for 12–15 minutes, until the buns are pale golden on top and the bottoms sound hollow. They should reach an internal temperature of about 90°C / 195°F in the dough. Let cool on a wire rack.
7. 7 Make the icing: stir the powdered sugar with just enough water or lemon juice to make a thick, spreadable glaze. Spread a thin layer over the top of each cooled bun, then sprinkle generously with toasted coconut so the icing catches it. Let the icing set before serving.
8. 8 Serve at room temperature. Skolebrød are best the day they are made, but keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.