Fluffy Sweet Buns with Chaudeau Custard Sauce

Step-by-step method

At a glance

You're creating two components here: tender, yeasted buns that need two rising periods (about 2.5 hours total), and a luxurious spiced custard sauce that requires careful temperature control to avoid curdling the eggs. The tricky part is timing these together so your warm sauce meets freshly baked buns, plus a quick pecan toast at the end—but the payoff is a restaurant-quality dessert that finally does custard right.

1/15

Warm the milk for proofing

Warm the milk until it's lukewarm, not hot (ideally around 40 °C). This is important so the dried yeast wakes up properly and the dough rises beautifully.

For this step
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90 gram
Fresh Whole Milk (3.5% Fat)
2/15

Mix the dough ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine plain flour, granulated sugar, the lukewarm milk with yeast, and a whole egg. Start kneading into a soft dough.

For this step
0/4

29 gram
Granulated Sugar

150 gram
All-purpose wheat flour

4 gram
Dried Yeast

1 piece
Chicken Eggs
3/15

Work the butter into the dough

Gradually add the softened butter in small pieces, kneading continuously until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is beautifully smooth (about 10-15 minutes).

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42 gram
Unsalted Butter

4/15

Prove the dough ball

The dough will be a little sticky at first – use a dough scraper to shape it into a neat ball. Lightly grease the bowl with oil, place the dough inside, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1.5 hours, until doubled in size.

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5 gram
Sunflower Oil
5/15

Divide the risen dough

Carefully tip the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into two equal portions for easier shaping. Roll each portion into a long rope, then cut off small pieces. If any look too long, simply cut them in half again.
6/15

Brush with butter before baking

Grease a baking dish generously with butter and arrange the shaped pieces of dough inside, leaving small gaps between them. Brush the buns with melted butter too – this will keep them lovely and soft once baked, and make them easy to pull apart.

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20 gram
Unsalted Butter
7/15

Second proof

Leave the buns to rise in the baking dish for another hour, so they become even fluffier. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
8/15

Bake the buns

Place the dish of risen buns in the oven and bake for the first 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 190 °C and continue baking until golden (about 15-25 minutes, keeping an eye on the colour). Meanwhile...
9/15

Warm the milk with spices

In a saucepan, heat full-fat milk with vanilla sugar, nutmeg, lime and orange zest, sugar and a whole cinnamon stick. The milk should just barely simmer, not boil, so the spices release their flavour.

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2 gram
Nutmeg

500 milliliter
Fresh Whole Milk (3.5% Fat)

45 gram
Granulated Sugar

1 piece
Lime

1 piece
Orange

1 piece
Whole Cinnamon Sticks

1 teaspoon
Vanilla Sugar
10/15

Prepare the cornstarch slurry

Remove the cinnamon stick. Take out half of the warm milk and let it cool slightly. Then pour off a little into a small cup, stir in the cornstarch until smooth, and mix it back into the cooled milk.

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3 gram
Cornstarch
11/15

Brush with butter after baking

Take the hot baked buns out of the oven (but don't turn it off yet) and brush them lightly with melted butter again for shine and softness. Carefully turn the buns out of the dish and let them cool.

For this step
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10 gram
Unsalted Butter
12/15

Toast the pecans

Spread a handful of pecans on a baking tray and place them in the still-hot oven. Toast for about 3-5 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden. Watch closely so they don't burn!

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20 gram
Pecans (unsalted)
13/15

Combine eggs with the cornstarch mixture

Add the whisked eggs to the remaining lukewarm milk-and-cornstarch mixture and stir well.

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2 piece
Chicken Eggs
14/15

Thicken the sauce

Pour the egg and cornstarch mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Heat gently while stirring constantly, taking care not to exceed 75 °C, or the eggs may curdle. The sauce should gradually start to thicken.
15/15

Finish and serve

Chop the pecans into smaller pieces with a knife. Spoon the sauce onto a plate, nestle a few buns into it, and scatter the pecans around.

Fluffy Sweet Buns with Chaudeau Custard Sauce

Name: Heavenly Sweet Buns with Chaudeau Sauce
Prep time: 38 min
Cook time: 54 min
Total time: 247 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon Vanilla Sugar; 3 piece Chicken Eggs; 150 gram All-purpose wheat flour; 5 gram Sunflower Oil; 4 gram Dried Yeast; 1 piece Lime; 72 gram Unsalted Butter; 74 gram Granulated Sugar; 1 piece Orange; 1 piece Whole Cinnamon Sticks; 3 gram Cornstarch; 90 gram Fresh Whole Milk (3.5% Fat); 2 gram Nutmeg; 20 gram Pecans (unsalted); 500 milliliter Fresh Whole Milk (3.5% Fat)

flavorsbyyumsto

Prep 38 min Cook 54 min

Plus 2 h 25 min of resting (not counted in active time)

15 Ingredients

15 Steps

Hard Difficulty

What's in it?

478 kcal

Calories

68 g

Carbohydrates

21 g

Fats

18 g

Proteins

The nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on the specific ingredients used.

About this recipe

Hand on heart, who among us doesn't have trauma from that thin, over-sweetened yellow water served in school cafeterias? It's time to clear this legend's name! Our version, inspired by French chaudeau, brings back the regal flavour these sweet buns deserve. Forget starchy shortcuts – we're making a proper custard infused with citrus, cinnamon and nutmeg, one that finally has depth and character. Soft, fluffy yeasted dough and crunchy pecans elevate this dish into an experience you won't want to share. Let's cook up a sweet lunch together that you'll fondly remember!

Vegetarian Desserts

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Step-by-step method

At a glance

Warm the milk for proofing

For this step

Mix the dough ingredients

For this step

Work the butter into the dough

For this step

Prove the dough ball

For this step

Divide the risen dough

Brush with butter before baking

For this step

Second proof

Bake the buns

Warm the milk with spices

For this step

Prepare the cornstarch slurry

For this step

Brush with butter after baking

For this step

Toast the pecans

For this step

Combine eggs with the cornstarch mixture

For this step

Thicken the sauce

Finish and serve

Fluffy Sweet Buns with Chaudeau Custard Sauce

Ingredients — what you'll need

What's in it?

About this recipe

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