Vanilla Custard Filled Buns: Skolleboller - Analida's Ethnic Spoon (2024)

Published: December 27, 2015 • Modified: May 27, 2022 • by Author: Analida • Word count:1093 words. • About 6 minutes to read this article. • This post may contain affiliate links.

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Vanilla custard filled buns or Skolleboller literally translates into School Buns. Funny name, isn't it? But what's in a name? Read on! In the western parts of Norway these pastries are known as Skolleboller, while in the eastern parts of the country they arecalled Skollebrot/Skolebrød (school bread). So, what does this pastry have to do with school? According to the girl at the Epcot Norway Pavilion, these were invented back in the 1950's as a hearty snack for children to take to school. They are indeed a hearty treat!

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Discovering Skolleboller
Scandinavian Baking
Frequently Asked Questions
Vanilla Custard Filled Buns Recipe: Skolleboller

Discovering Skolleboller

I first tried these a few years ago at the Norway Pavillion at Epcot Center. I was on vacation with friends; one of them decided to have a mid morning snack, much to his wife's dismay. As soon as he took a bite, these were his exact words were "If they would have had bread like this when I was in school, perhaps I wouldn't have skipped school so much." Yes, this is exactly what he said. Such a joker!

In Norway, skolleboller are popular just about anywhere: pastry shops, schools, senior centers, ferry boat kiosks, and supermarkets. Scandinavian pastries and Norwegian food in general is ah-mazing. I have been the recipient of many a sample, from my friend Harriet who makes amazing desserts and also from my sister in law who is of Swedish heritage.

Scandinavian Baking

Cardamom is the star of the show. Typical of Scandinavian pastries, the dough for the custard buns are flavored with cardamom, a spice native to India. Cardamom has a strong delicate flavor which is complex and refreshing, almost reminiscent of eucalyptus. Cardamom is also one of the three most expensive spices, second only to saffron. Besides its use in many pastries, cardamom is also used in curries, chicken, meat dishes, lentils and of course Turkish coffee. It is always best to grind your own if you are able to because the flavor is more pronounced. At home I have an old coffee grinder which is now used for the sole purpose of grinding spices.

Skolleboller is filled with a delicious vanilla-flavored pastry cream. After it is baked, the bun is glazed with sugar icing and then dusted with coconut flakes. It goes great with a steaming cup of hot coffee or tea, whatever your preference is. To say that skolleboller is heavy is definitely an understatement. This pastry is so rich thatif you decide to skip lunch, it can certainly take its place. Once you sink your teeth into one of these, you'll know exactly what I mean. This recipe was adapted from Edward Gee's fantastic book titled Bake.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store these skolleboller buns? These should be stored for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Wrap them in plastic or place in an airtight container so they won’t dry out. Just note that eating them fresh out of the oven is the best.
Can I freeze the skolleboller buns? You can freeze them for 2-3 months in an airtight container or freezer bags. Thaw them out in the refrigerator and you can warm them in the microwave for 5-10 seconds depending on the power of your microwave.
Can I make any part of these in advance? Yes, you can make the custard in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in and airtight container. Be sure to let it come to room temperature when you are ready to make. The dough must be made up fresh and proved on the time schedule so there is no way to make dough in advance.

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Vanilla Custard Filled Buns Recipe: Skolleboller

Norwegian skolleboller buns: A sweet pastry with a rich vanilla custardfilling in the middle topped with coconut and sugar glaze. Yummy!

4.80 from 5 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Norwegian

Keyword: cardamom, coconut, custard, rolls

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 312kcal

Author: Analida Braeger

Ingredients

6 Tbsp butter melted
1 ¼ cup milk lukewarm
2 tsp dry active yeast
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp cardamom ground
4 cups flour
½ cup coconut flakes

Vanilla Custard

1 cup whole milk
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp sugar (add 1-2 drop of vanilla extract and beat into the sugar)
2 egg yolks beaten

Icing

¾ cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp lemon fresh juice

Instructions

Make the Dough:

Mix the butter, milk, yeast, sugar, salt, cardamom and flour.
On a lightly floured surface knead to form a ball. Cover and let it rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Divide the ball of dough into 12 equal parts.
Using your thumb punch down a hollow in each ball.

Make the Vanilla Custard Filling:

Using a double boiler, place the milk, vanilla, and egg yolks. Slowly add in the flour. stirring often to mix well, this will prevent clumps from forming.
Bring to a light boil while mixing, and until the mixture is thickened.
Remove from heat and place in a bowl to allow the custard to cool.

Constructing the Buns and Bake:

Spoon custard into the hollow of each ball.
Place dough balls on a greased cookie sheet or parchment paper. Bake for about 15 minutes.
Place on a wire rack to cool.

Make the Icing and Finish the Buns:

Mix the lemon juice and powdered sugar together*.
Drizzle over the baked buns. Sprinkle with shredded coconut.
* You might have to adjust the amount of lemon juice to create a thick consistency that will allow you to drizzle properly.
See Also
Dark Chocolate Fudge Bars (Toasted Pistachio & Raspberry) | Gina Burgess Perfect Sugar Cookie Recipe How To Make The Best Traditional Fruit Mince Pies Chocolate Victoria Sponge Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Filling

Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store these skolleboller buns? These should be stored for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Wrap them in plastic or place in an airtight container so they won’t dry out. Just note that eating them fresh out of the oven is the best.
Can I freeze the skolleboller buns? You can freeze them for 2-3 months in an airtight container or freezer bags. Thaw them out in the refrigerator and you can warm them in the microwave for 5-10 seconds depending on the power of your microwave.
Can I make any part of these in advance? Yes, you can make the custard in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in and airtight container. Be sure to let it come to room temperature when you are ready to make. The dough must be made up fresh and proved on the time schedule so there is no way to make dough in advance.

Nutrition

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom
December 28, 2015 at 10:16 am

Can never go wrong with custard--these buns look incredible!
Reply
- Analida
  December 28, 2015 at 7:35 pm
  
  They are great Kristen, and like I said in the post, the can take the place of lunch, or breakfast!
  Reply
- Melissa
  December 09, 2019 at 5:30 am
  
  How do you store this?
  Reply
  - Analida
    December 09, 2019 at 8:16 am
    
    Hi Melissa,
    These should be stored for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Wrap them in plastic or place in an airtight container so they won't dry out. You can freeze them for 2-3 months. Thaw them out in the refrigerator and you can warm them in the microwave for 5-10 seconds depending on the power of your microwave. Enjoy!
    Reply
Faye Wilkerson
December 28, 2015 at 12:57 pm

These look delicious. A warm sweet yeast bread with custard, that's what I call comfort food.
Reply
- Analida
  December 28, 2015 at 7:35 pm
  
  comfort food at its best Faye! 🙂
  Reply
Cathy
December 28, 2015 at 9:14 pm

You create the most delicious pastries, this looks like something I would really enjoy!
Cathy
Reply
- Analida
  December 29, 2015 at 7:07 pm
  
  Thanks Cathy, it is a really delicious pastry.
  Reply
Christie
December 29, 2015 at 6:25 am

Being part Norwegian this is definitely #onthemenu to make!! Oh my goodness it looks gorgeous.
Reply
- Analida
  December 29, 2015 at 7:07 pm
  See Also
  Classic Gingerbread Cookies
  
  Thank Christie!!! 🙂
  Reply
Ginger Wroot
December 31, 2015 at 5:35 pm

Hi, I came across your blog through a linkup. This looks like a totally lish recipe, and your photographs are amazing! Thanks for sharing this!
Reply
- Analida
  January 02, 2016 at 8:36 am
  
  Thank you Ginger for your kind comments!
  Reply
laura@motherwouldknow
October 06, 2016 at 5:12 pm

These look amazing. And while I didn't skip school (like your friend's husband), I definitely would have been more enthusiastic if I'd been rewarded with one of these buns every day.
Reply
- Analida
  October 06, 2016 at 5:35 pm
  
  LOL!!! He is quite the character. I agree, I probably would have been more enthusiastic had I been rewarded with one of these. 🙂
  Reply
Miz Helen
October 11, 2016 at 2:52 pm

Thanks so much for sharing this lovely dessert with us! Hope you will come back to see us at Full Plate Thursday real soon and have a great week!
Miz Helen
Reply
- Analida
  October 13, 2016 at 2:45 pm
  
  You're welcome Miz Helen! Yes, I'll be back.
  Reply
Analida
January 21, 2017 at 12:00 pm

Thanks for your wonderful comments. I hope you keep enjoying it.
Reply
Linda
March 09, 2017 at 10:37 am

I'm making this for my 9th grade health project and I chose Norway as a country. I hope these turn out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
Reply
- Analida
  March 09, 2017 at 12:50 pm
  
  Hi Linda! I am so glad you chose to make these. Good luck with making them. They are not hard to make. Let me know how they turn out. 🙂
  Reply
Lori Harvey
December 14, 2017 at 11:00 am

Is the bun recipe the same basic recipe as Pulla Braids? I lost a recipe when my computer crashed. It was buns like these made from Cardamon bread, same thumb punch in center, topped with swedish cream and raspberry preserve. Is swedish cream and the custard similar? Thankful to have found your recipe, going to try it.
Reply
- Analida
  December 14, 2017 at 4:06 pm
  
  Hi Lori! Thanks for reaching out. I am not familiar with Pulla Braids. Swedish cream and custard are different. The custard is more similar to a French pastry cream. So sorry to hear you lost your recipe when your computer crashed. I am glad you found my recipe. 🙂
  Reply
Tarah
June 07, 2018 at 1:50 pm

Should there be sugar in the custard? Following along with the recipe and just finished the custard and it dawned on me.....
Reply
- Analida
  June 08, 2018 at 1:06 pm
  
  Hi Tarah, so sorry for the late reply, I have not been feeling well the last few days. I did not add any sugar to mine, but feel free to add some to yours. I probably would not add more than 1/4 cup. hope this helps.
  Reply
Secret person 💙💙
July 18, 2018 at 2:25 am

This looks so yummy 😋 that’s why I am making it for countries of the world thank u xx 💋
Reply
- Analida
  July 18, 2018 at 12:08 pm
  
  Thanks! Let me know how you like them!
  Reply
TMM
September 19, 2018 at 12:20 pm

Can the custard be made ahead and kept in the fridge, say, overnight? Or do all of the components need to be made at around the same time? Excited to try these out!
Reply
- Analida
  September 20, 2018 at 8:40 am
  
  Hi, I usually make it at the same time. If you make it ahead and refrigerate just take it out early so it can come to room temperature before you bake. You don't want to bake the buns with really cold custard. Let me know how you like them!
  Reply
Colleen
October 15, 2018 at 5:14 pm

What a tasty sweet bun! I loved these, but the custard was not great. There's no sugar, so it just tastes like a vanilla egg filling. Not good. I would make these again, but add some sugar to the custard.
Reply
- Analida
  October 15, 2018 at 7:41 pm
  
  Good catch! I noticed I had a typo and left out the 2 Tbsp sugar in the custard. I will get that fixed! Thanks!
  Reply
Darla
September 07, 2019 at 7:10 pm

I just made these and they are magical. I did add the 2 T sugar to custard. Perfect! Thank you!
Reply
- Analida
  September 08, 2019 at 4:58 pm
  
  Hi Darla, I am so glad you liked them!
  Reply
Veronica
September 13, 2019 at 12:10 pm

I’m quite surprised to find out they are norwegian. I’m from Argentina, and these buns may be found here in any pastry shop. They very popular, although they don’t have cardamom. We call them “pan de leche” or “pan de salud” something like “milk bread” or “health bread”. I’ll try your recipe soon.
Reply