These orange blossom saffron cream buns are fluffy, soft and infused with subtle flavors! An utterly delicious treat to try ASAP!
The origins of cream buns:
They are called Semla (Sweden) Splits (England) or maritozzi (Italy) but cream buns exist all around the world under different names. It’s usually a sweet yeasted dough baked into individual sizes and filled with cream.
This version makes soft, chewy and lightly sweetened cream buns infused with saffron and filled with a light and airy orange blossom flavored cream.
How to make these orange blossom saffron cream buns:
The buns are made with simple ingredients, but what makes them special is saffron! I used real saffron treads, which gives this dough its beautiful, golden color and a really pleasant taste.
If you have a stand mixer, these will take minimal effort to make. After you make the dough, it’s just a matter of shaping it into balls and baking it to golden perfection.
The cream comes together very easily by combining soy milk, corn starch, coconut sugar, orange blossom water, vanilla and a dash of turmeric (for the color) in a saucepan.
Simmered until it thickens, the cream will be ready in less than 10 minutes. Once ready, chill in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Next, fold-in some whipped coconut cream (or whipped aquafaba for a lighter consistency- see recipe notes for information) in your chilled orange blossom infused cream.
Now, fill your buns with the cream and serve immediately! It’s as easy as that! Garnish with pistachios and serve!
These saffron & orange blossom cream buns are a delicious treat to enjoy with your friends and family for brunch or for tea time!
What you might need to make these orange blossom saffron cream buns:
pure vanilla extract
Saffron
Coconut Sugar
Ground Flaxseed
Coconut Oil
Coconut Milk
These orange blossom saffron cream buns are fluffy, soft and infused with subtle flavors! An utterly delicious treat to try ASAP!
- 3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup soy milk
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 4 tbsp vegan butter or coconut oil
- 2 tbsp ground flax seeds
- 1 tbsp saffron threads
- 1 tbsp orange blossom water
- 3 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
- 2 cup soy milk
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 3 tbsp orange blossom water
- 1 tbsp vegan butter or coconut oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp turmeric optional, for the color purpose only!
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 cup coconut cream (or 1/3 cup aquafaba) (coconut cream - the solid part from chilled can of full-fat coconut milk)
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Start by making the orange blossom flavored cream, as it needs time to chill.
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In a small mixing bowl, combine corn starch, coconut sugar, turmeric (if using) and salt. Toss to combine.
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In a saucepan, add soy milk, orange blossom water, vanilla extract, and whisk. Add the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Turn on your stove, and heat your saucepan under medium heat. Whisk continually to avoid sticking while it cooks. Once the liquid come to a boil, it should take about 2 to 3 minutes before the cream starts to thicken.
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Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wraps. You ant your plastic wrap to touch the entire surface of the cream to avoid any skin forming. Chill for a couple of hours in the fridge. When chilled, remove from the fridge, uncover and whisk to loosen the cream. (the cream will slightly solidify after chilling, just whisk it thoroughly to loosen it)
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If you are using coconut cream, whip it for about 5 minutes and then using a spatula fold in the whipped coconut cream with the orange blossom cream. Set aside
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If you are using aquafaba, whip your aquafaba for 15 minutes or until it reaches soft peaks. Using a spatula, gently fold in the orange blossom cream.
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Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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In a small saucepan, add soy milk and saffron threads and heat under low heat. You just want to heat the soy milk enough so the saffron can release its flavor and color. You don't need to bring the liquid to a boil. It should take about 1 to 2 minutes. Once your liquid turns a beautiful golden color, transfer to a glass and set aside to cool down (if the liquid is too hot, it will kill your yeast, so give it 10 minutes to cool down)
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In the bowl of your stand mixer, add all dry ingredients followed by your saffron-infused soy milk, orange blossom water, and vanilla extract. Start mixing until it forms a uniform dough, then add vegan butter or coconut oil. Knead for 10 to 15 minutes or until the dough is very soft to the touch and shiny.
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Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and leave it to rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the dough almost doubles in size.
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Once the dough has doubled in size, knead again for a couple of minutes to release the gas. Transfer to a clean floured surface and divide it into about 12 pieces. Roll each piece of dough and shape it between your hands (use some flour if your dough is too sticky to handle)
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Place your shaped buns into your baking sheet and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until puffy and slightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and place them on a cooling rack.
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Once your buns reach room temperature, use a serrated knife to cut the top part of each bun. Remove some of the inside of the buns to leave a space for the cream. Garnish with the cream and serve.
- The coconut cream version is richer and holds itself better so you can use a piping bag with it. The aquafaba version is much lighter and airy but the cream doesn't hold itself very well. So consider one or the other, depending on how you want the consistency of your cream to be. Other than that, both taste amazing!
- After garnishing the buns with cream, you should serve them immediately.
- The buns can be kept (unfilled) in a covered container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days or frozen for up to 1 month. (if they become harder, place in a preheated oven with a glass of water for a few minutes, to make them softer)
- The cream can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
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