The ultimate brioche buns

Method

1. To make the brioche, combine all the brioche ingredients, except the butter, in a stand mixer with the hook attachment on a low speed for 5 minutes. Increase the speed slightly (see Before You Begin) and mix for about 12 minutes maximum or until the dough stops sticking to the sides of the bowl. (It will start to wrap around the hook and come away from the sides of the bowl.) Add the butter bit by bit on a low-medium speed for 2-3 minutes until fully incorporated. Transfer the dough to a cold tray lined with silicone baking paper and cover it with cling film. Transfer to the fridge overnight (or for at least 3 hours).
2. Take the chilled brioche dough and weigh out 400g. The rest can be wrapped well and frozen until needed (see Before You Begin). Divide the 400g brioche dough into 10 x 40g portions and roll each one into a tight round shape. Return to the fridge uncovered for 30 minutes.
3. To make the pastry cream, line a lipped baking tray with cling film and put in the fridge. Pour the milk into a medium pan. Split the vanilla pod with a paring knife and scrape the seeds into the milk. Add the pod to the pan, too, then bring to the boil, whisking in a quarter of the sugar and making sure the milk doesn’t catch on the bottom.
4. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornflour and the remaining sugar. As soon as the vanilla milk boils, take it off the heat and pour a quarter of it over the yolk mixture, whisking rapidly. Still off the heat, transfer this mixture back into the pan with the remaining vanilla milk, whisking continuously. Put back over a medium heat and continue whisking until the mixture starts thickening, then take off the heat again and continue to whisk until thickened and smooth.
5. Return the pan to the heat and bring the mixture back to the boil. Cook for 1 minute, then take the pan off the hob and remove the vanilla pod. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the cream to the cold tray lined with clingfilm to cool quickly. Wrap and cover the cream in the film. Set aside to cool, then put in the fridge until needed.
6. On a floured work surface, roll out each chilled dough ball into a 15cm long oval, 8cm wide and 2-3mm thick [A]. Return to the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up.
7. Put the dough ovals back on the lightly floured work surface, positioning them lengthways/ vertically away from you. Take the pastry cream out of the fridge and whisk a little until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag with a plain nozzle and pipe 2 horizontal lines of pastry cream touching each other onto each oval piece of dough, about 3-4cm from the top. Fold the top part of the dough over the pastry cream, seal tightly with your fingers, then brush with egg wash.
8. Using a paring knife, make 4-5 equally spaced marks in the bottom part of the dough, coming down from the base of the sealed cream, then cut them to create 5-6 strips. Roll the sealed parcel of pastry cream over these strips. Repeat with the remaining dough, then put the rolls on a baking tray, ensuring the ends of the strips are under the brioche and the dough strips sit evenly spaced over the tops. Leave to prove in a warm place for a couple of hours or until doubled in volume (see Before You Begin).
9. Heat the oven to 190°C/ 170°C fan/gas 5 about 20 minutes before baking. Lightly brush just the top of the brioche dough strips with the egg wash, then bake for 12-15 minutes until nice and golden. Remove from the oven and immediately lightly brush the brioche with a little sugar syrup, then quickly sprinkle over the pearl/nibbed sugar. Leave to cool.
10. Using the pointy piping nozzle or a skewer, prick a hole in one end of each brioche (or use a gap where some of the pastry cream may have come out during baking) and fill them with the remaining pastry cream. These are best enjoyed fresh but will last for up to 2 days stored in an airtight container.