Belgian Buns
I’ve always loved Belgian Buns! There’s a cute little bakery in the town near where we live and I always remember passing by there as a child with my eyes wide and mouth watering at all of the treats inside the windows, always hoping that today would be the day we could go in and choose one! Not much has changed since then, other than that we can now make our own treats - which isn’t always a change for the better! Soft, sweet and fruity, these Belgian buns are eye-catching in their simplicity. Go on, why not treat yourself?
Ingredients
450g strong plain bread flour
20g fresh yeast (or 1 tbsp dried yeast)
4 tbsp sugar
100g butter - melted
200ml milk - lukewarm
1 egg - beaten
120g sultanas
Topping
300g icing sugar
6 - 8 tablespoons water
12 glace cherries
Method
Mix the yeast and sugar into the lukewarm milk and then leave to stand for 3-4 minutes so that it becomes active.
Combine the flour, melted butter, beaten egg and milk/yeast mix into a tabletop food mixer bowl, or a large bowl if making by hand. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined.
Knead with a dough hook on the mixer for 6 to 8 minutes, or knead by hand for 10 - 12 minutes. The dough should be soft and elastic.
Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a proving bag or cling film - leave to prove in a warm place for 1 ½ to 2 hours (until doubled in size)
Once doubled, gently tip the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and roll into a rectangle measuring approx 40x25cm.
Sprinkle the sultanas evenly across the dough.
Holding the long edge tightly roll the dough into a log and then cut into 12 equal slices.
Place each slice flat onto 2 baking trays, lined with parchment paper - gently push each circle down so that it is flatter.
Cover loosely with clingfilm and leave to rest for 40 mins until it is well risen.
Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200°c
Bake the buns for 20 - 25 minutes until lightly golden, and then leave to cool
Mix the sifted icing sugar gradually with the water until smooth, but not too runny. Add the water in slowly to get the consistency right!
Spread the top of each bun with the icing sugar and place a cherry on top of each one.
Sit back, relax and enjoy a tasty Belgian bun!
