Strawberry Rhubarb Milk Bun Skillet
Fresh strawberries and tart rhubarb act as a jammy, sweet-tangy base, then topped with soft, buttery milk buns that bake up like golden bubbles nestled over fruit. The buns are light, pillowy, and just the right size for pulling apart, each bite soaked with that luscious fruit filling underneath. Finished with a generous spoonful of homemade custard.
What makes these buns special is the dough itself—made with milk instead of water, plus a touch of butter—resulting in an extra tender, rich crumb that stays soft and fluffy as it bakes. The milk adds subtle sweetness and a creamy texture, while the butter lends just the right amount of richness.
Strawberry Rhubarb Milk Bun Skillet
Fresh strawberries and rhubarb are layered straight into a skillet, topped with rich, fluffy milk buns made with milk and butter, then baked until the fruit turns jammy underneath and the buns are golden and bubbly—finished with a spoonful of homemade custard.
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp dry active yeast
- 1 cup warm milk + 3 tbsp
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 egg
- ½ cup softened butter
For the Strawberry Rhubarb:
- 4 cups fresh strawberries chopped
- 2 cup chopped rhubarb
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla
- Juice of ½ a lemon
For the Custard:
- 3 egg yolks
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
For the Dough:
- Begin by combining 3 tbsp warm milk, 1 tbsp yeast and 1 tbsp honey in a small bowl. Let stand for 5-10 mins until bubbly and proofed.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients of 3 cups of flour (I add the ½ cup more later if needed), ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 ½ tsp salt. Begin mixing on low speed of your stand mixer (or by hand) and slowly incorporate 1 cup of warm milk, followed by the ½ cup of softened butter and 1 egg. If needed, slowly add the remaining ½ cup of all purpose flour and continue to mix on medium speed for 3-5 minutes to knead a smooth dough. (Or knead on countertop if mixing by hand).
- Cover smooth dough ball with a dish towel or cling wrap and set in a warm, dry place to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
For the Strawberry Rhubarb:
- While your dough is rising, prepare the strawberry rhubarb mixture by combining all ingredients in a 10" skillet and toss to incorporate.
- Once your dough has risen, divide into 15-20 small pieces (you want enough to cover the full skillet) and roll into small balls. Arrange them on top of the fruit mixture, nestled close together. Cover with a towel or cling wrap and let rise once more for 30 minutes. Brush tops of dough with heavy cream. Bake at 350℉ for 25-305 minutes, until golden brown on top.
For the Vanilla Custard:
- While your skillet is baking, prepare the vanilla custard. In a small bowl, whisk 3 egg yolks and ¼ cup white sugar until pale and incorporated.
- In a medium saucepan over low medium heat, heat the 1 ½ cups of heavy cream and vanilla until small bubbles form around the edge, right before simmering. Stir while heating to avoid curdling.
- Temper the egg yolks by ladling out a small amount of hot milk and vigorously whisking it into the yolk/ sugar mixture very slowly.
- Slowly add the yolk mixture to the hot milk pan, whisking vigorously to avoid the eggs cooking. Once combined, mix in a slurry of 1 tbsp corn starch and 1 tbsp water to help thicken over the heat. Once custard can coat the back of the spoon, it is completed. Remove from the heat and chill.
- Once skillet has baked, allow to cool 10 minutes before serving and topping with vanilla custard.
