Marieboller or marie buns is a fastelavn bun filled with vanilla custard. Fastelavn buns can come in many shapes and sizes. Some are baked with remounce and custard, some are filled with a a cream custard like this marie bun.
Fastelavn is a similar tradition as the American Halloween if you add some kind of piñata in the form of barrel. Children get dressed up, and go a kinda trick and treating in the early afternoon. You can read more about the Danish fastelavns traditions here.
Ingredients:
Vanilla custard:
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2,5 dl milk
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
heavy whipping cream, whippe
Pastry (piecrust):
150 g cold butter, salted
250 g all-purpose flour
75 g confectionary sugar (powdered sugar)
1 egg
Cream puff (choux dough):
300 ml water
150 g butter, salted
175 g all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
1 pinch baking powder
4 eggs
Sprinkles:
confectionary sugar (powdered sugar)
Directions:
Vanilla custard:
Beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale in color. Whisk in the cornstarch and vanilla paste.
Heat the milk to a slow boil, set aside.
While whisking vigorously drizzle the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture, just a tiny bit at a time at first. Once you’ve added about ¼ of the milk, you can add the rest in a thin steady stream, whisking constantly.
Pour the mixture back in the saucepan and reheat it over medium heat. Whisk constantly until it starts to boil and is thickened. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Sprinkle with sugar or press some plastic wrap against the custard so it won't form a pudding skin. Chill the custard completely in the refrigerator.
When the custard is cold, whip the heavy whipping cream. Fold the whipped cream in the custard a little at a time till you get the desired taste and texture.
Pastry (piecrust):
Mix the butter in the flour and sugar in a stand mixer. Add the egg and mix just until the dough starts to lump together. Form the dough into a disc and wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Divide the dough in two, and roll each in a rectangle 8¼ x 11 inch (21x28 cm). Cut the rectangles into 12 squares each.
Cream puff (choux dough):
Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Put water and butter in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. In a bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt. When the butter is all melted add all the flour at once, and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. Lower the heat and keep stirring until a dough is formed and it pulls away from the sides of the pan and is slightly shiny.
Keep beating the dough with the wooden spoon until slightly cooled, about 2 minutes.
Beat all the eggs in a bowl. Add a little of the beaten eggs, incorporating it thoroughly before adding more. Add the egg in small amounts until you have a thick paste but not runny at all.
Scoop the 24 dough ball onto 2 parchment paper lined baking sheet. If you have small tips on the puffs anyway, dab the tops of each puff with a fingertip dipped in water to smoothen the tops.
Brush the cream puffs with some egg whites, and place one of the pastry squares on top, pressing the corners onto the parchment paper.
Bake the puffs for 18-20 minutes, until they are puffed up and golden brown.
DO NOT open the oven while baking cream puffs, it will cause them to deflate.
Let the puffs cool on a wire rack.
Cut the buns in half and fill it with prepared vanilla custard. Sprinkle with confectionary sugar and serve with a nice cup of coffee or tea.
Enjoy!
