Norwegian Skolebrod Recipes

NORWEGIAN VANILLA CUSTARD BUNS (SKOLEBOLLER OR SKOLEBRøD)

Steps:

• Make the Tangzhong: Combine water, milk and flour in a medium saucepan. Whisk until combined and no lumps remain. Place saucepan over medium heat and cook mixture, whisking constantly, until it thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Make the Dough: While the tangzhong is cooling, begin preparing the rest of the ingredients for the dough. Combine yeast, cardamom (if using), salt, sugar and flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk briefly by hand to combine.
• Attach the dough hook to the mixer. Add melted and cooled butter, milk, egg and the cooled tangzhong (it can be slightly warm to the touch) to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium low until fully combined.
• Increase mixer speed to medium and knead mixture for 3-4 minutes or until dough is slightly tacky but not sticky and clears the side of the bowl. It's okay if it's sticking to the bottom of the bowl slightly. Add an extra tablespoon of flour as necessary if your dough seems too sticky. You can also mix and knead the dough by hand but it will take longer, more like 8-10 minutes.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for an hour to an hour and a half or until 1 ½ or 2 times its original size. The time will largely depend on the temperature of your kitchen.
• Meanwhile, make the Vanilla Custard Filling. Whisk egg yolks, butter, cornstarch, half and half, sugar and salt together in a medium saucepan. Place pan over medium low heat and whisk constantly until mixture is smooth and thick, about 3-5 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Stir in vanilla. Place a piece of parchment paper directly on top of the pastry cream, followed by a layer of plastic wrap (this prevents the custard from forming a skin). Refrigerate until you are ready to use. (The Vanilla Custard Filling can be made 1-2 days in advance.)
• Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it onto a clean, unfloured countertop. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough until it is about half an inch thick. Cut circles out of the dough using a 3 inch biscuit cutter. Place the buns on the prepared baking sheets leaving 2 inches of space between each bun. Cover and let the buns rise for 30 minutes at room temperature. (Feel free to gather the scraps and roll them a second time to cut out more buns).
• Using your thumb and fingers, create a defined well in the center of each bun. Fill each well with a heaping teaspoon of Vanilla Custard Filling.
• Whisk the egg and water together for the egg wash. Brush the outside of each bun with the egg wash, taking care to avoid the custard center. Transfer buns to the oven and bake until golden brown, rotating the pans halfway through, about 18 minutes. Remove the buns from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, make the Icing. Whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl until smooth. Drizzle the icing on each bun and sprinkle with coconut if desired. Serve.

NORWEGIAN SKOLEBROD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add melted butter, 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup sugar and cardamom. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until shiny and pliable. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Divide the dough into twenty four equal pieces and form into rounds. Place the rounds on to lightly greased baking sheets. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
• Brush risen rolls with beaten egg. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes until nicely browned with pale sides. Cool completely on wire racks.
• To make pastry cream: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until well combined. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of milk. Place the remaining milk and the vanilla in a medium saucepan. Bring the milk to a boil and whisk it into the yolk mixture.
• Pour the mixture into the saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap and spread the pastry cream over the plastic to cool it as quickly as possible. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until cold. Place the cooled pastry cream into a pastry bag and fill the buns with cream.

NORWEGIAN CUSTARD BUNS (SKOLEBRøD)

Steps:

• For the dough, melt the butter in a pan over a low heat and add the cold milk, heating until just tepid. Stir in the yeast and sugar and leave for 10 minutes.
• Mix together the flour and cardamom in the bowl of a free-standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.
• Add the yeast mixture and knead with the dough hook until the dough begins to pull away from the bowl.
• Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise until doubled (about 1-1½ hours). Take care not to over-prove the buns as otherwise they may collapse.
• For the raspberry jam, add the raspberries and sugar to a large pan and bring to the boil until thickened.
• Transfer to a large heatproof bowl and leave to cool. When cooled, set aside in the fridge until needed.
• For the custard, warm the milk and cream in a pan until simmering.
• Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla extract in another bowl. Whisk in the cornflour.
• Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking continuously, then return to the pan.
• Cook over a very low heat, stirring constantly until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Transfer to a heatproof bowl and set aside to cool. When cooled, set aside in the fridge until needed.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knock back, lightly kneading until smooth. Roll into a sausage and cut into 12 equal pieces. Shape into balls and place on a baking tray and cover with oiled cling film. Leave to prove for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/fan oven 180C/400F/Gas 6.
• When risen, press down an egg-sized indentation into each bun and fill with the custard. Brush the bun with beaten egg.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden-brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Combine the icing sugar with one teaspoon of water to make a glaze.
• Brush the glaze onto the buns around the custard centre. Dip the glazed part of each bun into the coconut.
• Finish by placing a little jam on top of the custard and serve.

NORWEGIAN SCHOOL BREAD (SKOLEBRøD)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Combine milk and butter and heat in a saucepan over medium-high heat just until milk is scalded (when small bubbles rise uniformly across surface of liquid). Remove from heat and cool until "finger-warm."
• Stir yeast and sugar into lukewarm milk and allow to sit for 10 minutes. The surface should begin to bubble as yeast proofs.
• After 10 minutes, stir in cardamom and flour until dough pulls away from sides of mixing bowl.
• Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch down dough when it has risen, remove to a floured surface, and knead until smooth and shiny.
• Use hands to roll dough into a thick 18-inch-long "snake," then cut this length into 20 equal pieces.
• Roll each piece between hands into a spherical bun and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover buns again with towel and allow to rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare pudding mix as directed, only reducing milk to 2 1/2 cups. Allow pudding to thicken at room temperature while buns rise.
• Preheat oven to 375 F. Gently press down center of each bun to form a well after they have risen. Fill with 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of pudding (there will probably be some pudding left over). Allow to rise for an additional 10 minutes.
• Brush well-beaten egg onto edges and sides of buns.
• Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool.
• In a small bowl, mix the confectioners' sugar with the water. Brush the sugar glaze on top of buns, around but not over pudding "eye." Dip into shredded coconut.