THE HERITAGE COLLECTION
Authenticity is their nourishment
Sol Canyon Kitchen Norwegian Sourdough Rhubarb & Pastry Cream Buns
Makes 14 buns
Rustic • Bright • Luscious • Abundant
Generous spoonfuls of rhubarb tucked into buttery laminated layers, where vanilla pastry cream quietly does its work.
This recipe is 100% plant-based
For the past three years, I’ve been looking for rhubarb.
Every Sunday at the farmers market I would wander through the produce stands hoping to spot those beautiful crimson stalks, but they never appeared. I checked grocery stores too, and although Los Angeles seems to import just about everything from everywhere, rhubarb was nowhere to be found.
Eventually I learned that rhubarb prefers long, cool springs and cold winters, so I understood why it isn’t grown here.
But that still doesn’t answer my question.
Why can’t I buy it here?
Surely someone could bring a few bundles down from Oregon, Washington, or Northern California. We import produce from all over the world, yet somehow rhubarb has quietly disappeared from the shelves. Maybe one day I’ll learn the answer, but for now I still find myself looking every time I wander through the produce department, hoping those ruby-red stalks will surprise me again.
A few days ago, while wandering through Whole Foods, something bright red caught the corner of my eye.
I stopped.
Looked.
Looked again.
Could it really be?
There, tucked among the vegetables, sat a small pile of fresh rhubarb.
I hurried over and gathered up nearly half of it before anyone else could discover my treasure. I wasn’t entirely sure what I would make yet, but I knew one thing immediately…
It was destined for a Sol Canyon Kitchen bun.
Of course, I bought enough for more than just the buns. Lloyd and I have very little self-control when a bowl of warm rhubarb is sitting in the refrigerator. I had visions of spooning it over breakfast, sneaking a few bites straight from the container, maybe even folding it into scones or tucking it inside a flaky pastry. Rhubarb has that effect on me. I’m not much of a sweets person, but combine delicate sweetness with lively tartness and wrap it all inside beautiful pastry… and I’m completely, unapologetically all in.
As I stood in my kitchen looking at those ruby stalks, I realized another recipe had quietly been waiting for them.
For weeks I had been working on my own vegan vanilla pastry cream. Replacing butter is easy. Replacing milk is easy. But replacing the richness of egg yolks in pastry cream is an entirely different adventure. Batch after batch, I adjusted, tasted, thickened, stirred, and started over until one spoonful finally stopped me in my tracks.
It reminded me of my mom’s custard.
That was the moment I knew I was close.
I didn’t want the pastry cream to compete with the rhubarb. I wanted it to quietly support it, almost disappearing into the warm layers of dough while giving every bite a gentle richness you couldn’t quite put your finger on. Like any good marriage, each one makes the other better without asking for attention.
I also had another vision before I ever rolled the dough.
I didn’t want a perfect bakery spiral with a few polite streaks of red running through it.
I wanted rhubarb.
Lots of rhubarb.
Maybe as much rhubarb as one bun could possibly hold.
Rolling them turned out to be wonderfully messy. Some of the pastry cream escaped. Some of the rhubarb tumbled out. For a brief moment I wondered if I had been too generous.
Then I smiled.
No… this was exactly what I had hoped for.
These buns were never meant to look perfect. They were meant to look abundant.
That little philosophy eventually found its way into the recipe itself:
“Don’t worry if it feels generous—it should.”
During baking, some of that glorious filling bubbles onto the parchment where it caramelizes into little tangy jewels. Even the bottoms become something entirely their own—part buttery caramel, part baked rhubarb. They don’t caramelize quite like my original Norwegian Sourdough Cardamom Buns because the fruit and pastry cream claim some of that space, but I quickly realized I didn’t mind one bit.
The hardest part comes after they leave the oven.
Waiting.
Not because the buns need to cool, but because the bottoms need a little time to finish becoming what they’re meant to be. That caramelized chew is my favorite part of every bun I make, and patience rewards you with something that simply isn’t there five minutes after baking.
Then comes the first bite.
A lightly caramelized edge with just enough chew.
Soft laminated layers.
A burst of warm rhubarb that somehow manages to be bright, tart, sweet, and comforting all at once.
The pastry cream doesn’t announce itself. It simply wraps around the rhubarb, quietly doing exactly what I had hoped it would.
I had planned to taste a bite or two and save the rest for after dinner.
That plan lasted about thirty seconds.
The bun quietly became my appetizer, and before dinner ever reached the table, there wasn’t a crumb left to save.
Rhubarb has been cherished for centuries, first as a medicinal plant in Asia long before it found its way into European kitchens. Today we mostly celebrate it for pies, crumbles, and jams, but it also offers a surprising nutritional gift. Its deep red stalks contain anthocyanins—the same family of colorful antioxidants found in berries—along with vitamin K, fiber, and beneficial polyphenols. Like so many beautiful foods from the garden, it nourishes us in more ways than one.
These may be one of my favorite buns I’ve made so far.
Then again…
I have a feeling there are many more rays still waiting to emerge from the Sol Canyon Kitchen sun.
As I carried these buns upstairs after dinner, I found myself smiling for another reason.
The original Sol Canyon Kitchen Norwegian Sourdough Cardamom Bun has quietly become the heart of my Sol Canyon Kitchen Norwegian bun series. I think of it as the sun. Every new variation begins with that same beloved dough, then stretches outward like another ray. Each ray has its own personality, inspired by a new season, a favorite ingredient, or simply the curiosity to wonder, “What if…?”
That thought makes me especially happy because, in my little California version of a Mediterranean kitchen, an original hand-painted Mediterranean Lady Sol hangs watching over everything I create. Another little Lady Sol smiles back at me from my refrigerator door while Olive Amber Solera, my faithful stove, quietly bakes every loaf, bun, and creation that comes to life in my kitchen. Somewhere along the way they all became part of the rhythm of this little space, and somehow that feels exactly right.
This Rhubarb & Pastry Cream Bun is simply another ray of that same sun.
And if this bun becomes one of the breads that holds you together for a little while, then perhaps it has found exactly where it belongs.
INGREDIENTS
Dough
475 g all-purpose flour (11.5% protein is ideal)
150 g active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
240 g soy milk, room temperature
40 g plain vegan yogurt
120 g vegan salted butter, softened
90 g cane sugar
8 g fine salt
9 g green cardamom seeds, freshly ground slightly coarse
Rhubarb Filling
430 g chopped rhubarb
90 g cane sugar
15–18 g fresh lemon juice (about 1½ Tbsp)
Zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of fine salt
Cook gently until the rhubarb is tender but still slightly chunky and glossy. Cool completely before using.
Makes approximately 400 g finished filling. Use all of the filling, or reserve any extra for spooning over yogurt, oatmeal, or simply enjoying by the spoonful.
SOL CANYON KITCHEN VANILLA PASTRY CREAM
Cashew Cream
80 g raw cashews
100 g water
Use 92 g of the prepared cashew cream for the pastry cream. Reserve the remaining cashew cream for another use.
Vanilla Pastry Cream
400 g unsweetened soy milk
92 g prepared cashew cream
40 g cornstarch
60 g cane sugar
2 g fine salt
25 g vegan butter
1 Tbsp plain Culina yogurt
30 g thick coconut cream
1–2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, to taste
Butter Lamination Layer
140 g vegan butter, softened
120 g cane sugar
1.5 g fine salt
Mix until completely smooth and spreadable.
Before Baking
Soy milk
Small drizzle of maple syrup
For lightly brushing any exposed dough before baking.
Simple Syrup
30 g sugar
30 g water
Heat just until the sugar dissolves.
Brush lightly over any exposed baked dough while the buns are still hot.
METHOD
Step 1 — Mix the Dough (Dough Day)
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine:
240 g soy milk
150 g sourdough starter
40 g plain vegan yogurt
90 g cane sugar
Then add the recipe-specific flavorings: almond extract, vanilla, or freshly ground cardamom, depending on the recipe.
Mix briefly to loosen the sourdough starter.
Add 475 g flour and mix on low speed for 1–2 minutes, just until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains.
Cover and let the dough rest for 15–20 minutes. This allows the flour to fully hydrate before the salt and butter are added.
Add 8 g salt and mix on low speed for 2–3 minutes.
With the mixer running, gradually add 120 g softened vegan butter, a few pieces at a time, allowing each addition to incorporate before adding the next.
Increase to medium speed and continue mixing until the dough is fully developed and passes the windowpane test, about 10–20 minutes, depending on your mixer.
The finished dough should feel:
Smooth
Elastic
Silky
Supple and only slightly tacky
Target dough temperature: 78–82°F (26–28°C).
Step 2 — Bulk Fermentation
Cover and ferment at 74–78°F for about 4–6 hours.
Because this is an enriched sourdough dough containing butter and sugar, fermentation is naturally slower than lean bread dough.
Rather than looking for the dough to double, watch for these signs:
The dough feels slightly puffy.
The surface becomes smooth and relaxed.
The dough has gained a little lightness.
Transfer to the refrigerator and cold ferment for 12–18 hours.
The overnight rest strengthens the dough, develops flavor, and makes shaping much easier.
Step 3 — Prepare the Rhubarb Filling
In a medium saucepan, combine:
430 g chopped rhubarb
90 g cane sugar
15–18 g fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of fine salt
Toss everything together and let stand for 20–30 minutes. This allows the sugar to begin drawing out the rhubarb’s natural juices before cooking.
Place the saucepan over medium-low heat.
Cook gently until the rhubarb is tender but still slightly chunky and glossy.
Refrigerate until completely cold before using.
For the easiest shaping, use the filling directly from the refrigerator. The cold filling stays thicker, is less likely to run, and makes the buns much easier to roll.
Step 4 — PREPARE THE VANILLA PASTRY CREAM
While the dough continues to bulk ferment, prepare the pastry cream.
Cashew Cream
Place 80 g raw cashews into a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water.
Let soak for 30–60 minutes, or until softened.
Drain the soaking water.
Transfer the soaked cashews to a high-speed blender with 100 g fresh water.
Blend until completely smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Measure 92 g of the prepared cashew cream for the pastry cream.
Reserve any remaining cashew cream for another use.
Vanilla Pastry Cream
In a medium saucepan, whisk together:
400 g soy milk
92 g prepared cashew cream
40 g cornstarch
60 g cane sugar
2 g fine salt
Whisk until the cornstarch is completely dissolved and the mixture is perfectly smooth before turning on the heat.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly.
As the mixture heats, it will gradually begin to thicken.
Once the pastry cream reaches a full boil, continue whisking and cook for 2–3 minutes. This fully cooks the cornstarch and removes any starchy taste.
Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Immediately whisk in:
25 g vegan butter
30 g thick coconut cream
1 Tbsp plain Culina yogurt
1–2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, to taste
Continue whisking until the butter has completely melted and the pastry cream is silky smooth.
Transfer the pastry cream to a shallow container.
If you prefer, press a piece of plastic wrap or reusable wrap directly onto the surface before covering the container. This helps prevent a skin from forming.
Refrigerate until completely cold.
For the easiest spreading, use the pastry cream directly from the refrigerator. Cold pastry cream is thick, creamy, and spreads beautifully over the laminated dough.
Step 5 — Prepare the Butter Lamination Layer
Mix together:
140 g softened vegan butter
120 g cane sugar
1.5 g fine salt
Mix until completely smooth and spreadable.
I usually prepare the lamination layer while the dough is bulk fermenting, then refrigerate it overnight alongside the dough.
On Bake Day, remove it from the refrigerator first thing in the morning so it has plenty of time to soften while the dough remains cold.
Step 6 — Roll, Laminate & Fill (Bake Day)
Remove the dough from the refrigerator.
Turn the cold dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Do not allow it to warm before rolling.
Roll into approximately a 12 × 18-inch rectangle with the long side facing you.
Spread the butter lamination layer evenly over the entire surface, reaching almost to the edges.
Fold the dough like a business letter:
Fold the left third to the center.
Fold the right third over the left.
Rotate the dough 90 degrees so the folded edge is on the left, like the spine of a book.
Roll again into an even 12 × 14-inch rectangle.
Spread 150 g of the chilled pastry cream evenly over the dough, leaving only a very small border around the edges.
Spoon the cooled rhubarb filling evenly over the pastry cream, distributing the larger pieces across the entire surface so every bun receives plenty of fruit.
Don’t worry if it feels generous—it should. These buns are meant to be generously filled with rhubarb.
Step 7 — Cut & Shape
Using a pizza wheel or dough scraper, cut the dough into 14 strips, approximately ¾ inch wide.
Rather than rolling the dough into one large log and slicing rounds, each strip is shaped individually. This rustic method allows more of the rhubarb filling to remain visible and creates the generous, fruit-filled character that defines these buns.
Shape Each Bun
Working with one strip at a time:
Begin rolling the strip while it remains on the work surface.
Roll loosely—just tight enough to hold the filling together without squeezing it out.
Finish by tucking the end underneath the bun to secure it.
Place each bun onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving room for expansion.
A little rhubarb may escape while shaping. This is completely normal and becomes part of the finished character of the buns.
Step 8 — Final Proof
Proof at 75–78°F for approximately 4–6 hours.
The exact time will depend on the strength of your starter, the flour you’re using, and the temperature of your kitchen.
The buns are ready when they feel:
Soft
Noticeably puffy
Lighter when gently lifted
The layers should begin opening slightly, but the buns do not need to double in size.
Trust the feel of the dough more than the clock.
Step 9 — Bake
Preheat the oven to 405°F (205°C).
Allow the oven to remain at temperature for an additional 10–15 minutes before baking.
Rack position: upper-middle.
While the oven preheats, prepare the soy milk wash and the simple syrup.
Mix a small amount of soy milk with a tiny drizzle of maple syrup for brushing the buns before baking.
In a small saucepan, combine:
30 g sugar
30 g water
Heat just until the sugar dissolves, then set aside until needed.
Lightly brush only the exposed dough with the soy milk mixture.
Avoid brushing the rhubarb itself.
Bake for 8 minutes without convection.
Rotate the baking sheet, turn the convection fan to Low, and continue baking for about 8 minutes more.
The buns are ready when:
The ridges are a deep golden brown.
The edges are beautifully caramelized.
The bottoms are medium amber.
The internal temperature reaches 197–200°F.
If needed, bake another 1–2 minutes to deepen the caramelization.
Step 10 — Finish
While the buns are still hot, brush a light coating of simple syrup over any exposed baked dough.
Avoid brushing the rhubarb itself.
Leave the buns on the baking sheet for 10–15 minutes before transferring them. This allows the caramelized bottoms to finish setting.
Cool on a wire rack.
These buns are wonderful warm from the oven, but they become even more beautiful after resting for about an hour.
This allows the caramelized bottoms to finish setting into their signature buttery chew while the rhubarb, pastry cream, and laminated layers settle together into one beautiful bite.
If you can wait that long, you’ll be rewarded.
NOTES
Salt Balance
This recipe is written using salted vegan butter. If using unsalted vegan butter, increase the salt in the dough to 10 g and add 1.5 g salt to the butter lamination layer.
Cardamom Matters
Use green cardamom seeds and grind them fresh in a spice grinder until aromatic and slightly coarse—finer than cracked pepper but not as fine as a powder.
Pre-ground cardamom loses its aroma quickly and won’t produce the same depth of flavor.
Although this dough contains the same generous amount of freshly ground cardamom as my Norwegian Sourdough Cardamom Buns, the flavor gently steps into the background after baking, allowing the rhubarb to become the star while still giving these buns their unmistakable Scandinavian character.
Signature Lamination
The signature Sol Canyon Kitchen lamination begins by spreading a layer of butter, sugar, and salt over the dough before folding it like a letter and rolling it a second time.
This extra step creates delicate layers, buttery tenderness, and the beautifully caramelized bottoms that define every bun in the Sol Canyon Kitchen bun family.
Don’t Worry If It Feels Generous
These buns are intentionally filled generously.
As you spread the pastry cream and spoon over the rhubarb, it may feel like a lot.
It is.
Don’t worry—it should.
Some filling will naturally escape while rolling and baking. Those caramelized bits become one of the most delicious parts of the finished buns.
Rolling the Buns
Unlike my Norwegian Sourdough Cardamom Buns, these buns are rolled into loose spirals rather than tied into knots.
Roll each strip gently while it remains on the work surface. Roll just tightly enough to hold the filling together without squeezing it out.
The finished buns should look rustic, generous, and beautifully full of fruit.
Cold Shaping
This dough is easiest to shape straight from the refrigerator.
The dough, pastry cream, and rhubarb filling all work best when thoroughly chilled. Keeping every component cold helps preserve the laminated layers, makes the buns easier to shape, and keeps the filling where it belongs.
Working in Warm Kitchens
If your kitchen is warm, chill the dough briefly before shaping to keep the butter layers well defined and easier to handle.
Fermentation Expectations
This is an enriched sourdough dough and it won’t double during either the bulk fermentation or the final proof.
Because of the butter and sugar, the rise is often subtle. Instead of looking for dramatic volume, look for dough that feels softer, slightly aerated, and more relaxed than when it was first mixed.
During the final proof, the buns should feel noticeably puffy and gently expanded, but they do not need to double in size.
Trust the feel of the dough more than the clock.
Bake Surface & Bottom Caramelization
The caramelized bottoms develop as the butter and sugar beneath the laminated dough slowly melt during baking.
Because these buns contain both pastry cream and fruit, they may benefit from an extra minute or two of baking compared to the original Norwegian Sourdough Cardamom Buns.
Don’t rush them. Deep golden tops and richly caramelized bottoms are part of what makes these buns so memorable.
A light-colored baking sheet lined with parchment encourages even browning without over-darkening the bottoms.
Traditional Finish
These buns are traditionally enjoyed unfrosted.
A light brush of simple syrup over the exposed baked dough adds a gentle shine and delicate crackle without distracting from the rhubarb and pastry cream.
Avoid brushing the fruit itself.
The Best Time to Eat Them
These buns are wonderful warm from the oven, but they become even more beautiful after resting for about an hour.
This allows the caramelized bottoms to finish setting into their signature buttery chew while the rhubarb, pastry cream, and laminated layers settle together into one beautiful bite.
If you can wait that long, you’ll be rewarded.
Freezing
These buns freeze beautifully after baking.
Cool completely, wrap well, and freeze.
Thaw at room temperature, then warm gently before serving.
A Final Thought
Some recipes become favorites because they’re easy.
Others become favorites because of how they make us feel while we’re making them.
These buns ask for a little more time, a little more patience, and a little more care. But somewhere between the folding, the rolling, the fragrance of freshly ground cardamom, and the first taste of warm rhubarb tucked into buttery layers, they become far more than a recipe.
I hope they become part of your spring kitchen for many years to come.
CONVERSION: INSTANT YEAST OPTION
This recipe is written for natural sourdough fermentation. If you prefer a shorter timeline, you can easily make it with instant yeast instead.
To Convert
Omit the 150 g sourdough starter.
Add 7 g (2¼ tsp) instant yeast.
Increase the flour to 550 g total.
Increase the soy milk to 300 g total.
Proceed with the same mixing method.
Continue with the remaining recipe exactly as written, including the lamination, filling, proofing, and baking instructions.
Fermentation Timeline with Instant Yeast
Bulk ferment 1½–2½ hours at 75–78°F, until soft and slightly puffy.
Shape as directed.
Final proof 1–2 hours, until relaxed and gently swollen.
Bake as directed.
Yeast fermentation is faster and produces a slightly milder flavor, while still creating excellent texture and structure.
What to Expect
The instant yeast version will be:
Slightly less tangy.
Slightly more sweet-forward.
Slightly more predictable.
But every bit as beautiful.
This is the kind of food that nourishes quietly.
It asks us to slow down,
to listen,
and to remember what is enough.