A Custard Cream Cookie Full Of Vanilla Bean
These Strawberry Vanilla Custard Cream Cookies are so delicious! The cookie is a tender and flaky custard cookie that is full of vanilla bean caviar, then it’s filled with a yummy strawberry buttercream filling! This is such a yummy combination, plus just look at them! They are show-stoppers!
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Sweet Strawberry Cookie Mold
When House On The Hill came out with this beautiful Strawberry Mold , I was thinking, “Oh my goodness, these are going to be the cutest cookies ever!” So I quickly went about deciding which cookie recipe I would bake with them.
One thing I already knew is that it absolutely had to be something strawberry flavored, because I mean, hello! Lol! You can get the Strawberry Cookie Mold HERE.
Custard Cream Biscuits or Custard Cream Cookies?
I had been introduced to Custard Cream Biscuits from some of the bakers in one of the FB groups I am in, and they looked so good, AND CUTE! They are an English custard based sandwich cookie, usually with a custard based filling.
The cookie itself is a very light, not too sweet custard flavored shortbread English biscuit, and like I said, they are SUPER cute! Especially when made with a cute cookie mold.
I kept seeing these …so I thought a Strawberry Vanilla Custard Cream Cookie would be the PERFECT cookie to make from this cute mold! Cookie because that’s what we call them here in the U.S.
I Had Just Recently Tried Custard Cream Cookies
Not too long before this, I had tried making some custard cream cookies for the first time. I did some Easter one’s with the House On The Hill’s “Paschal Lamb” Cookie Mold, and they came out SO cute.
I did cute pastel colors for the filling, and they were PERFECT for Easter, so I decided to tweak the recipe and make it Strawberry! You can get this Paschal Lamb Mold HERE, and the matching cutter HERE.
To make Custard Cream Cookies, you will need Custard Cream Powder. Not every store carries this, so I always order mine from Amazon. You can get Bird’s Custard Powder Here.
Using the Mold
To make the Strawberry Vanilla Custard Cream Cookies, make the dough, then after it has chilled, take each disk of dough, and section it into about 9 sections. Form it into a round ball then form it into a disk.
This will slightly warm the dough, which is what you want. Then roll it a bit with a rolling pin, just so it’s the right thickness.
Powdered Sugar is Perfect For Dusting Custard Cream Cookies
Place the dough on top of the dusted cookie mold. I use powdered sugar to dust because it keeps the dough from being over floured, which can lead to a tough cookie if you get too much, and it makes the cookies taste amazing.
Press the dough into the mold. Feel where the strawberry is and really press this area down, gently filling that area with dough. Press the dough up against the walls of the strawberry, making sure not to leave any air pockets. Next, add a small piece of dough to fill in the rest.
Most Custard Cream Cookies are rolled out from dough that is the same depth, however with this particular mold, the strawberry is much deeper than the rest of the design, so I had to experiment to see if I could make it work. It worked great!
Be Sure To Fill The Strawberry With Enough Dough
Make sure to fill the strawberry part of the mold with enough dough, and make sure it is totally filled. I say this because I made a few where I did not get the strawberry part completely filled, and this caused the strawberry to crack. If it’s not perfect, trust me, no one will care. I’ve made plenty with slight cracks, and I don’t think anyone noticed.
It may take a bit of practice, but it’s so worth it. These cookies continue to be one of my most popular cookie recipes!
Removing The Dough From The Mold
Once the strawberry is filled in with dough, roll it lightly with the rolling pin to get the same depth on the whole cookie. Turn both the mold and dough over together, and gently remove the dough from the mold, then cut it with a round cookie cutter.
You Only Need A Cookie Cutter For The Bottoms
After pressing and cutting out all of the tops, roll out the dough and make the bottoms. No pressing needed for these, just make the same amount of bottom cookies you made of the top.
It’s not a bad idea to make about 6 of the tops, then make 6 of the bottoms, and then whatever amount of dough you have left, you will be able to judge how many of each more you can make.
Chill Before Baking
It’s time to chill them. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill for at least 20 minutes before baking.
While the cookies chill, make the filling. I like to use a piping bag and a pretty tip so that the edges look nice, but you don’t have to do that.
Once your cookies have chilled, bake them for 12 to 14 minutes at 325 F. Once cooled, pipe your filling on to the bottom cookie close to the edge, so that you can see the beautiful filling once the tops are placed on.
These are Super Soft Cookies
These cookies are super soft, so be careful when placing the tops on that you don’t press too hard and break the top cookie.
Finish By Painting If You Like
I finish them by painting the tops with Sweet Sticks Paint Palettes. They are amazing, and so fun! They look just like a mini watercolor palette like I had when I was in elementary school. All you do is add water, let the paint set for a couple of minutes to soften, and paint away! This really makes the cookies SO PRETTY!! You can get Sweet Sticks HERE!
I hope you enjoy making these as much as I did! Just know, any time I’ve taken these little beauties to any event, they were a huge hit!
Thanks and Happy Baking!!
Teesa
Strawberry Vanilla Custard Cream Cookies
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- "Sweet Strawberry” House on the Hill Cookie Mold (Or any mold of your choosing)
- Round scalloped Cookie Cutter (This makes the pretty scallop on the edge of the cookies. You can always use smooth if you like, instead of scalloped)
- Pastry or kitchen brush for dusting your mold
- Parchment Paper for chilling and baking cookies
- Piping tip and bag for filling *Optional
- Red and green food paints & paint brush *Optional
Ingredients
Custard Cream Cookies
- 300 g All Purpose Flour (2 1/2 Cups)
- 110 g Custard Powder (Approx 1 Cup minus 2 Tablespoons)
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- 2 ½ Tbsp Milk
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 Caviar of 1 Vanilla Bean (Scraped seeds from the bean)
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract (I use double fold/strength)
- 200 g Unsalted Butter – Softened (14 oz)
- 100 g Fine Granulated Sugar (1/3 Cup plus 2 Tbsp)
- Extra flour or Powdered sugar for rolling and dusting
Strawberry Buttercream Filling
- 175 g Powdered/Confectioners Sugar (1 1/2 Cup)
- 113 g Unsalted Butter – Softened (1/2 Cup)
- 3 to 4 Tbsp Strawberry Jam or Jelly (-/+ depending on your taste) I use Welch’s Strawberry Spread. It works well to use with pastry bag and tip without getting clogged, as long as you aren’t using a really small piping tip).
Instructions
- Note: When I make this recipe, I measure in grams. If you prefer cups, I have tried to convert to the closest to my ability.
Custard Cream Cookies
- In a med bowl, combine AP flour, custard powder, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In a measuring cup, combine milk, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and the caviar of the whole vanilla bean. Stir to combine and set aside. (Note – Vanilla caviar may not combine well, but it will when you add it to the butter mixture below).
- Using a hand or stand mixer, beat butter, then add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the milk mixture and beat until they come together. May take a minute or so.
- Turn mixer down to low and add in the flour mixture (dry ingredients) until it forms a dough and has pulled away from the sides of your mixing bowl. Turn the dough out and divide into approx two 4 x 6 squares, about an inch or so thick. Wrap in plastic and chill. (I like to chill overnight, but you can also chill these for 1 or 2 hours, then use.)
- This recipe is made with the “Sweet Strawberry” House on the Hill cookie mold, however you can use the mold of your preference. It is best however to use a cookie mold that has a shallower depth, because the thicker the cookie, the longer it will need to be baked, and the longer they are baked, the browner the edges will become. You don't want these super brown or over crisp.
- For the Cookie Tops – To make sure the deep strawberry part of the cookie mold is filled with dough – I roll out just enough dough for 1 cookie to about 1/2 inch deep, then lay my dough over the cookie mold and press it in. Where the strawberry is on the mold – press the dough into the strawberry all around the edges, to make sure no cracks form in the strawberry part. Once you do this, it will not have enough dough, so I take a small ball of dough to fill it, and press it into the back, on top of the dough I have already pressed, then take my rolling pin and roll it so that it’s all even. I then turn the whole thing over so that the mold is on top, and press it down to my desired depth. Then carefully remove the mold, and use a scalloped round cutter the same size as mold to cut around the strawberry.
- For the Cookie Bottoms – Roll dough to approx 3/16” or your desired thickness, then cut with the round scalloped cutter to match the tops. No need to use the cookie mold on the bottom cookies. Make the same amount as you have for the tops.
- Once all of your top and bottom cookies are pressed and cut, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill for at least 20 min before cbaking.
Strawberry Buttercream Filling
- In a stand mixer, combine the butter and confectioners sugar until fluffy.
- Add the strawberry spread, and mix on med. Taste and add more spread as needed for the taste and consistency you like. Add food coloring if you like.
Baking Instructions
- Bake at 325 degrees (165 C) for 12 to 14 min. Leave on cookie sheet for a 3 to 4 minutes before moving them to let them set-up a bit.
- Once baked and cooled, match up the tops and bottoms so that each top and bottom have the best match possible! This ensures prettier cookies!
- Once cooled, pipe your filling on to the bottom cookie close to the edge, so that you can see the beautiful filling once the tops are placed on. Note – these cookies are super soft, so be careful when placing the tops on that you don’t press too hard and break the top cookie. (You don't have to use a piping tip. You can spread the buttercream on if you like).
