Sweet Winter Rebellion

Pittsburgh in winter: gray skies, 20-degree temps, and the kind of bleakness that makes you question every life choice. Enter these Nordic-inspired raspberry custard buns—little swirls of cardamom-spiced joy, stuffed with vanilla custard and tart raspberries, here to defy the gloom one bite at a time.

Think cinnamon rolls, but with a glow-up. The cardamom brings cozy vibes without being predictable, while the raspberry custard combo is bright enough to temporarily blind you from the gray sludge outside.

Sure, they’re a little extra to make, but aren’t we all? Plus, the payoff is worth it: soft, pillowy buns that taste like a Scandinavian vacation, minus the airfare and the icy fjords. Bake these beauties, pretend the clouds are aesthetic, and remind yourself that spring might eventually show up. Probably.

Now go forth and bake something warm, because the weather sure won’t be.

Note: This recipe video is going to be paired with the story of Ashley Heavyrunner on TikTok. Check out the channel @whiskyouweredead.

This recipe takes a while. There are two separate rising times, 1 hour and another for 45 minutes. This should make about a dozen.

For the buns:

• 1¼ cups whole milk

• 4-4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 2 teaspoons instant yeast

• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 2 eggs, room temperature

• 1/3 lightly salted butter, softened

For the fillings:

• 8 tablespoons butter, softened

• 8 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 1/2 cups raspberries, roughly chopped

For the custard:

• 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 2 cups whole milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Start with the dough: In a stand mixer with a dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, cardamom, and salt. Pop your milk in the microwave for about 30 seconds. It should be about the same temperature as your finger before you add it slowly to the mix. The add an egg. Knead on low speed for about 5 minutes. Add the butter, increase to medium speed for about 5 minutes more, or until the dough is very elastic and somewhat moist. It’s a pretty wet dough, but you may need to add a few tablespoons of flour to get it to be more dough-y and less batter-y. Transfer the dough to a medium sized bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

There are two fillings: a brown sugar/butter combo and the custard. And for funsies we’re going to throw in some raspberries too.

For the brown sugar butter, mash 8 tablespoons softened butter with 6 tablespoons of brown sugar (any variety here, light is fine, but dark is appreciated). Add in a splash of vanilla extract and smooth into a paste.

Also prepare your custard while the dough is rising. Unless you’re slow AF, you’ll probably have time to clean your stand mixer and use it for the custard, but it’s not necessary (just easier). Drop your two egg yolks and granulated sugar into the mixer and beat with the whisk attachment until well combined. Then, add the cornstarch and continue to whisk on low. Next, add warmed milk (I usually do about a minute in the microwave) very slowly to avoid scrambling your egg yolks. Vanilla is essential here, and you can add it once your milk is mixed in.

After that is mixed together, put it in a saucepan. You’re going to whisk on medium heat for about 5 minutes until the custard starts to thicken. It’s going to seem like nothing is happening for a while, and then all the sudden it will get thicker quickly, so keep a close eye on it. Think about a good Boston creme donut–you want your custard just a bit runnier than that. Remove from heat and let cool in a separate small bowl.

Once your dough has doubled in size, lightly flour your rolling surface. Roll out the dough into a rectangle, around 1/4 inch thick. First spread your brown sugar butter all over the dough from edge to edge, then apply a thin layer of custard, and then your chopped up raspberries. Roll the dough into a log. Using a sharp knife, cut into 12 buns. Place your buns in a prepared baking dish (a big guy with either butter or parchment paper to prevent sticking), cover, and let rise for 45 minutes to an hour.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Make a divet in the top of each bun to hold the rest of your custard. Use about 1 tablespoon for each bun, and plop it right on top. Cover the dish with tin foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover, and then bake for another 15-20 minutes.

Dust with powdered sugar, and try not to burn your tongue.