Strawberry-Rhubarb Marzipan Buns

with a vanilla custard center

This recipe is for one of my new favorite creations: strawberry-rhubarb custard buns filled with jam, almond paste, and vanilla custard. Yes, there are a lot of components (and it may seem like a long process), but if you break it down, I promise they’re much simpler than they look—and absolutely worth it.

The almond paste (or "marzipan") is the dominant flavor here, with the jam coming in second. When I first made these, I tried filling them with just jam, but it was too wet between the layers, making it nearly impossible to roll the dough thin enough to shape the buns. After some research, I remembered that many Swedish berry-filled buns also include marzipan or almond paste—likely for both flavor and stability.

Many traditional recipes call for a mixture of butter, sugar, and store-bought marzipan, but since marzipan isn’t as common in the U.S., I use almond flour instead. The result tastes nearly identical, with the only missing ingredient being egg white.

If you’re short on time or not in the mood to make custard, the buns are delicious on their own. But personally, I think the custard is the best part—I love tearing off pieces of the bun and dipping them into the creamy center.