Strange Bun from Stardew Valley – DnD, Fantasy, Video Game Inspired Recipes

• Preheat oven to 400F (204C)
• Thaw the puff pastry sheets according to the box. While the puff pastry is thawing, we will work on the pastry cream.

Pastry Cream

• Off to the side, prepare a large heat proof bowl and a fine mesh strainer. You will use this to strain the cream after cooking it.
• In a medium mixing bowl, add the cream, milk, and egg yolks. Whisk until fully combined.
• In a medium saucepan, add the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk until fully combined.
• While whisking, slowly add the milk mixture to the saucepan. Whisk until combined and no lumps remain.
• Turn the stove to medium heat, and whisk constantly until the cream begins to thicken. You are looking for a pudding-like consistency that coats the back of a spoon. Once the cream has thickened to this consistency, remove from the stove to avoid over-thickening.
• Immediately pour the mixture through the fine mesh strainer and into the heat proof bowl. Add the butter and whisk until it is fully incorporated.
• Add the vanilla extract, and stir until the mixture is fully combined.
• Finally, add the food coloring. Start with one drop of blue and a couple drops of red, then stir fully to see the final color. You are looking to get a bright purple similar to the center of the Strange Bun sprite. I ended up using one drop of blue and about 7 drops of red, however this will vary depending on the pigmentation of the food coloring you are using.
• Allow the mixture to cool for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming. After cooled, press some plastic wrap against the surface of the cream, leaving no air bubbles. Allow the cream to refrigerate for at least 4 hours before using. While the cream is refrigerating, we will work on the puff pastry.

Puff Pastry

• Lay out the puff pastry sheets flat on a cutting board. Brush the whole face of the puff pastry with the melted butter, then sprinkle the brown sugar on top. Use the back of a spoon (or your freshly washed hands) to smooth the brown sugar over the entire puff pastry as well.
• We will be using the short end of the puff pastry as the length for the spirals. Use a knife to make a mark about 1.5 inches up on the pastry, and another on the other side about 1/2 inch up. Cut at a diagonal to connect these two marks. Starting at the wider end, roll up the puff pastry. Set aside on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat this shape with the rest of the puff pastry.

  TIP: You can use the edges of the baking pan to prevent the pastry from falling over, however I liked the wonky look I was left with, it added to the "Strangeness" of the bun.
  
• Bake the pastries for 13-15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and cooked all the way through.

Assembly of the Strange Bun

• Once the cream has cooled and the pastries have finished baking, use a chopstick to create a hole in the center of the puff pastry.
• Fill a piping bag with the pastry cream, and pipe it into the center of the pastry
• And you are done! Gift this Strange Bun to your favorite villager, or keep them all for yourself!