MINI SWEET BUNS WITH VANILLA SAUCE

Soft, fluffy mini sweet buns paired perfectly with a creamy, velvety vanilla sauce. Ideal as a comforting dessert or a special treat with coffee.

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🥣 Ingredients

Dough:

• 250 g all-purpose flour (type BL55)
• 150 ml warm milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 10 g fresh yeast
• 35 g sugar (including 1 packet vanilla sugar)
• 55 g butter (room temperature)
• Zest of 1/4 lemon
• Pinch of salt

Vanilla Sauce:

• 500 ml milk
• 100 g sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 20 g cornstarch
• 1 vanilla bean (or vanilla extract)

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Yield

6 mini buns

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Instructions

1. Activate Yeast

• Dissolve yeast in 50 ml warm milk with a pinch of sugar. Let rest in a warm place until foamy (~15 minutes).

1. Make Dough

• Combine all dough ingredients except butter and knead until elastic (use bread machine or by hand).
• Soften butter until creamy. Gradually incorporate butter into dough:
  • Start by greasing the bowl with 1/3 of butter and knead until absorbed.
  • Add remaining butter gradually, kneading continuously until fully incorporated (~20 minutes).
• The dough should be soft, elastic, shiny, and non-sticky.

1. First Rise

• Cover dough and let rise in a warm place for 1.5 hours until doubled in volume.

1. Shape Buns

• Divide dough into 6 equal pieces (about 60–70 g each).
• Shape each piece into a smooth ball by pulling edges underneath.
• Place balls into a floured muffin pan.
• Cover with plastic bag and let rise for 30 minutes.

1. Bake

• Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F).
• Bake buns for 15–20 minutes until golden brown on top.

1. Prepare Vanilla Sauce

• Make vanilla sauce by heating milk and mixing sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and vanilla bean/extract until thickened to a creamy sauce (thinner than custard).

1. Serve

• Serve warm or cold mini buns over 2–3 tablespoons of vanilla sauce.
• Dust with powdered sugar.

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💡 Tips

• Gradual butter incorporation yields a tender, rich dough.
• Use a muffin pan for perfectly sized buns.
• Vanilla sauce can be made ahead and gently reheated.
• Dust with powdered sugar just before serving for a pretty finish.

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📝 Final Thoughts

These mini sweet buns with silky vanilla sauce combine a tender crumb and fragrant cream for a delightful, elegant dessert perfect for any occasion.