These Fastelavnsboller, or also know as Danish Carnival Buns, are so delicious. Fastelavnsboller is a huge Danish tradition to make every year. They are filled with a pistachio filling and a delicious vanilla pastry cream and topped with glossy dark chocolate ganache.
These fastelavnsboller are so delicious! They are huge deal in Denmark and everyone enjoys them from mid January to mid February. These fastelavnsboller are a classic with a twist. These buns are filled with pistachio filling, instead of the classic almond filling, and lots of vanilla pastry creme.
Fastelavn is an old tradition dating back 100's and 100's of years. It the Danish version of halloween, which means that every child will dress up in costumes on the Sunday that is 7 weeks before Easter Sunday. Here they will knock on a barrel, that is hung on robe, with a bat until it falls down. The barrel is filled with candy and a prince and princess is crowned to whomever knocked down the barrel.
For more bread recipes, try Strawberry Rolls, Brioche Cinnamon Rolls and Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Brioche cardamom dough: This brioche dough for these rolls is so soft and incredibly delicious!
- Pistachio filing: Pistachios gives an amazing flavor to the buns with its earthy notes and beautiful green color.
- Vanilla pastry cream: This vanilla pastry cream is full of vanilla flavor as it's made with a vanilla bean.
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Yeast: I use fresh yeast, as it is what is available here in Denmark, but you can also use active dry yeast
- Butter: Take it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking.
- Whole milk: Heat the milk up to 37ºC, make sure it's not warmer as it can kills the yeast if it's too hot.
- Cardamom: Cardamom gives a wonderful flavor to sweet breads but if you don't have it, it can also be left out. I don't recommend replacing it with another spice.
- Unsalted pistachio: The beautiful green color of the cake is naturally colored by the pistachios.
- Vanilla bean: For this recipe I have use a full vanilla bean pod. You can also replace it with 2 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - DOUGH
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
STEP 1: Heat up the milk until it’s lukewarm (37ºC). Crumble the fresh yeast into your mixing bowl and pour in the heated milk. With a spatula stir it together until the yeast has melted. (If you are use dry yeast, let it bloom in the warm milk per instruction of the pack)
STEP 2: Add the granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, cardamom, eggs, salt and using the dough hook, mix the dough on low-medium speed until it is all hydrated and there is no dry flour left. Then mix further for 4 minutes on medium speed.
STEP 3: Continue on medium speed and add the butter in two parts. Add the second part of the butter, once the first part has mixed into the dough. This part looks messy but don’t worry. Once the second part has incorporated, scape down the sides of the bowl and keep mixing the dough for 8-10 minutes. It should end, looking smooth and released from the bowl.
STEP 4: Add the dough to a clean bowl, with a bit of vegetable oil, and cover the bowl with cling film and a tea towel. Place it in a warm room temperature area in your house or use the trick with the oven. Let it rise for 1 hour.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - FILLINGS
STEP 1: Cut the vanilla bean pod in half (lengthwise) and scrape off the vanilla bean with a knife. Mix it together with granulated sugar until well combined. In a medium-sized saucepan add the milk, granulated sugar, the vanilla bean and the remaining vanilla bean pod and bring to a slight boil. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks and the other 50 g of granulated sugar together with a whisk until lighter in color. Then add the cornstarch and whisk until combined.
STEP 2: When the milk is slightly simmering, and small bubbles are forming in the edge of the pan, take it off the heat, remove the vanilla bean pod, and add ⅓ of the warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking. Be sure to whisk all the time, to temper the eggs, so it doesn’t turn into scrambled eggs. Pour back the tempered mixture into the rest of the milk and whisk constantly on low to medium heat until it starts to thicken. Remove it from the heat and add the butter. Stir until combined.
STEP 3: Pour the pastry cream into a shallow bowl and cover with a plastic cling film so it touches the cream to prevent it from creating a skin. Set to chill in the fridge.
STEP 4: Make the pistachio filling. Start with blending the pistachios until a fine flour consistency. Whisk the butter, sugar and pistachio together until combined. Add it to a piping bag and set it aside.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - ASSEMBLING
STEP 1: After the first rise, it should now be double in size. Roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface into a big square shape of about 48x48 cm (19x19 in)and so it’s about 5 mm thick. Cut the dough into 16 squares that are about 12x12 cm (5x5 in).
STEP 2: Pipe a circle of the pistachio filling on each square and add a spoon full of the vanilla custard in the middle. Gather each corner together and pinch the dough together where they join so the filling doesn’t fall out of the buns. Then gather the other corners and pinch them together. Turn them over and place them with the smooth side up on the baking tray lined with parchment paper.
STEP 3: Let them rise for a second time on the kitchen counter for 45 minutes under some cling film and a tea towel. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180ºC/ 375ºF conventional oven. After the second rise, bake them for 13-15 minutes until golden brown. Let them cool down on a cooling rack.
STEP 4: To make the chocolate ganache, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan or in the microwave to a boil. Pour it over the dark chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes. Then stir it together until smooth. Add the butter and sit together until smooth. Add a dollop of the ganache on each bun and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
Yes, let the dough rise its 1st rise in the fridge overnight, proofing for no more than 16 hours. Then follow the recipe as and let the dough do its 2nd rise at room temperature.
Yes, prepare each of the element, the day before, so you only need to assemble the buns the next morning. Make the dough as described in the FAQ above. Prepare the vanilla pastry cream and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Prepare the pistachio filling and store it in an airtight container at room temperature.
They they have a golden color they are done.
STORAGE
Store the Fastelavnsboller in an airtight container or in a plastic bag at room temperature. Best enjoyed within a 1-2 days.
Other Buns and Rolls Recipes To Try
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Fastelavnsboller
Equipment
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 225 g whole milk
- 30 g fresh yeast 10 g active dry yeast
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cardamomme
- 570 g all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 120 g butter room temperature
- 3 tablespoon heavy cream for brushing the buns
VANILLA PASTRY CREAM
- 400 g whole milk
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean pod or 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 4 egg yolk
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 30 g cornstarch
- 30 g butter fridge cold
PISTACHIO FILLING
- 100 g butter room temperature
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 100 g pistachios
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- 100 g heavy cream
- 120 g dark chocolate
- 15 g butter room temperature
- Extra pistachios for decorations chopped
Instructions
BRIOCHE DOUGH
- Tip: If your kitchen is cold, preheat the oven at 30ºC while the eggs and butter reaches room temperature. Then turn off the oven, right before making the dough, keeping the oven door closed. This way you can rise your dough in the turned off oven giving it the optimal temperature of between 23-25ºC.
- Heat up the milk until it’s lukewarm (37ºC). Crumble the fresh yeast into your mixing bowl and pour in the heated milk. With a spatula stir it together until the yeast has melted. (If you are use dry yeast, let it bloom in the warm milk per instruction of the pack)225 g whole milk, 30 g fresh yeast
- Add the granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, cardamom, eggs, salt and using the dough hook, mix the dough on low-medium speed until it is all hydrated and there is no dry flour left. Then mix further for 4 minutes on medium speed.60 g granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cardamomme, 570 g all-purpose flour, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon salt
- Continue on medium speed and add the butter in two parts. Add the second part of the butter, once the first part has mixed into the dough.This part looks messy but don’t worry. Once the second part has incorporated, scape down the sides of the bowl and keep mixing the dough for 8-10 minutes. It should end, looking smooth and released from the bowl.120 g butter room temperature
- Add the dough to a clean bowl, with a bit of vegetable oil, and cover the bowl with cling film and a tea towel. Place it in a warm room temperature area in your house or use the trick with the oven. Let it rise for 1 hour.
PASTRY CREAM
- Cut the vanilla bean pod in half (lengthwise) and scrape off the vanilla bean with a knife.1 vanilla bean pod
- In a medium-sized saucepan add the milk, granulated sugar, the vanilla bean and the remaining vanilla bean pod and bring to a slight boil. Stir once in a while to make sure the sugar has melted together with the milk.400 g whole milk, 50 g granulated sugar
- Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks and the other 50 g of granulated sugar together with a whisk until lighter in color. Then add the cornstarch and whisk until combined.4 egg yolk, 50 g granulated sugar, 30 g cornstarch
- When the milk is slightly simmering, and small bubbles are forming in the edge of the pan, take it off the heat, remove the vanilla bean pod, and add ⅓ of the warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking. Be sure to whisk all the time, to temper the eggs, so it doesn’t turn into scrambled eggs. Pour back the tempered mixture into the rest of the milk and whisk constantly on low to medium heat until it starts to thicken. Remove it from the heat and add the butter. Stir until combined.30 g butter
- Pour the pastry cream into a shallow bowl and cover with a plastic cling film so it touches the cream to prevent it from creating a skin. Set to chill in the fridge.
PISTACHIO FILLING
- Add the pistachios to a blender and blend them until a fine flour consistency.100 g pistachios
- Whisk all the ingredients together until combined. Add it to a piping bag and set it aside.100 g butter, 100 g granulated sugar
ASSEMBLING
- Line two baking trays with baking papers. After the first rise, it should now be double in size. Roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface into a big square shape of about 48x48 cm (19x19 in)and so it’s about 5 mm thick. Cut the dough into 16 squares that are about 12x12 cm (5x5 in).
- Pipe a circle of the pistachio filling on each square and add a spoon full of the vanilla custard in the middle. (see the photos in the blogpost for more information)
- Gather each corner together and pinch the dough together where they join, so the filling doesn’t fall out of the buns. It's important that there is no gaps. Then gather the other corners and pinch them together. Turn them over and place them with the smooth side up on the baking tray lined with parchment paper. Place 8 per baking tray.
- Let them rise for a second time on the kitchen counter for 45 minutes under some cling film and a tea towel.
- Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180ºC/ 375ºF conventional oven.
- After the second rise, brush them with heavy cream and bake them for 13-15 minutes until golden brown. Let them cool down on a cooling rack.3 tablespoon heavy cream
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- Once the buns have cooled down, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan or in the microwave to a boil. Pour it over the dark chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes. Then stir it together until smooth. Add the butter and sit together until smooth.100 g heavy cream, 120 g dark chocolate, 15 g butter
- Add a dollop of the ganache on each bun and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.Extra pistachios for decorations
Kaylee Hamann
I made these this weekend, and they were phenomenal! It's been 5 years since I lived in Copenhagen, and I miss the amazing pastries every. single. day. Thank you for the fabulous recipe! The only edit I made (non-traditional, but a wonderful addition) was to pipe in more vanilla pastry cream after they finished baking. I filled them up while the buns were still warm, then dipped into the chocolate ganache after they cooled.
I will be saving this recipe for future use FOR SURE!