Almond Cream Swirl Buns Recipe
Bite into one of these almond cream swirl buns, and all your senses will be delighted by the decadent combination of fluffy brioche dough and creamy almond filling.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 85 g whole milk
- 20 g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 5 g instant yeast
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 30 g granulated sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 eggs
For the Almond Cream Filling:
- 50 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 60 g almond flour or almond meal
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp almond extract
For Topping:
- egg wash, done with 1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water
- sliced almonds
- powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
Swirl Dough:
- In a small saucepan, gently warm the milk and butter on low heat until lukewarm.Transfer the milk and butter mixture to a large bowl if you do the dough manually or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Add the yeast to the bowl and give it a quick stir.
- Next, add the flour, sugar, salt, and eggs to the bowl. Mix manually or on low speed until the dough comes together, and remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl during the process. Continue mixing for approximately 5 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Remember to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl a few times to ensure proper mixing.
- Form the dough into a ball and place it in a generously greased large bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size, which should take around 1 - 1 ½ hours.
Almond Cream Filling:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar until well blended.
- Add the almond flour, egg, and almond extract, mixing until everything is thoroughly combined. Set the filling aside for later use.
Assembly:
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.Once the dough has risen sufficiently, transfer it onto a lightly floured surface, gently pressing out any air bubbles.Roll out the dough with a rolling pin into a rectangle.
- Spread the almond filling onto the lower two-thirds of the dough, leaving the upper one-third without filling.
- Fold the shorter ends of the dough into thirds, similar to folding a letter. First, fold the clean ⅓ of the dough onto the center ⅓, and then fold the remaining ⅓ over that. Lightly roll out the dough again. If the dough becomes too soft to work with, you can chill it in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Cut the dough in half lengthwise and widthwise, and then cut each of those pieces into fourths, resulting in 16 strips.
- Roll up each strip tightly to form buns, tucking the end underneath. Place the buns onto the prepared pan.
- Loosely cover the buns with plastic wrap and allow them to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Brush the buns with egg wash and sprinkle sliced almonds on top.
- Bake the buns for 18-20 minutes or until they turn golden brown.
Optional:
- Dust the buns with powdered sugar, if desired, and indulge in the delightful treats!
Notes
Depending on the size of the eggs, the dough may be too soft. If it is too soft, just add a bit more flour. Same is also for the almond filling. If you see that is too soft, just add a bit more almond flour.
For optimal enjoyment, savor these almond cream swirl buns on the day they are baked. However, if you have leftovers or plan to prepare them in advance, you can easily revitalize their freshness the following day.
To plan ahead, you have the option of preparing the dough a day in advance and allowing it to rest in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, proceed with rolling out the dough and completing the remaining steps as instructed. This way, you can still relish the delightful taste and texture of these buns without compromising on their quality.