Belgian Buns Recipes

BELGIAN BUNS

Steps:

• Mix the flour, yeast, caster sugar and 1 tsp sea salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk, beaten egg and melted butter. Mix well a soft dough forms. If it feels dry, add a bit of warm water, if it feels too sticky and wet, add 1 tbsp flour.
• Dust a work surface with flour and tip the mixture onto it. Knead the dough until it feels smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball and put in a large, lightly floured bowl. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size. Or, leave to prove in the fridge overnight, removing 45 mins before continuing.
• Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Lightly dust a work surface and roll out the dough to 30 x 45cm. Evenly spread the lemon curd over the dough and sprinkle with the sultanas. Roll the dough up lengthways from the shortest side, like a Swiss roll, to form a log. Cut into 12 equal sized buns with a sharp knife, egg-washing the loose end of the pastry and pressing it down, so it doesn't unravel. Arrange, spread apart, on the prepared baking tray, cover, and leave to prove for 45 mins until doubled in size.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Brush the buns with a little egg wash. Bake for 10 mins, then reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and cook for a further 10 mins. Leave to cool.
• Meanwhile, sieve the icing sugar and mix with 3 tbsp water until a thick, white icing forms. Spread the icing on top of the buns with the back of a spoon, then put a cherry in the middle of each one.

PAUL HOLLYWOOD'S BELGIAN BUNS

Steps:

• Make the dough. Place the flour, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Make a well in the centre and tip in the yeast.
• Warm the butter and milk with 120ml of water in a small saucepan until the butter is melted and the mixture is lukewarm. Pour this into the flour mixture, and stir thoroughly until the contents of the bowl come together as a soft dough.
• Tip out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead well for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough into an oiled bowl, cover and leave it to rise, for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• Make the curd. Put the lemon juice and zest, sugar and butter into a heatproof bowl. Sit the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl. Stir the mixture every now and again until all the butter has melted.
• Lightly whisk the egg and egg yolk together in a bowl and then stir them into the lemon mixture. Whisk until all the ingredients are well combined, then leave the mixture to cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring every now and again, until the mixture is creamy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the lemon curd from the heat and leave it to cool, then chill it until set.
• Tip out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and roll it out into a rectangle measuring about 30 x 40cm with a short end closest you. Tack down this end by pressing it down onto the work surface with your thumb.
• Spread the lemon curd over the dough and sprinkle it with the sultanas. Starting at the short end furthest away from you, roll the rough towards you quite tightly until the roll is complete. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough roll into 12 thick rounds.
• Arrange the bun on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them well apart. Place each baking sheet into a proving bag and leave the buns to rise for 45 minutes, until doubled in size.
• Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6. Brush the buns with a little egg wash. Bake the buns for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4 and cook them for a further 10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the buns from the oven, leave them to cool slightly then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Make the decoration. Mix together the icing sugar, lemon zest and about 2 tablespoons of water to make a stiff, but pourable icing. Dip the buns in the icing, then allow any excess to drip off. Top with half a glacé cherry and leave to set before serving.

HOMEMADE BELGIAN BUNS RECIPE

Steps:

• Place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan with a few cm of water in the bottom. Bring the water to a simmer and ensure the bowl isn't touching the water.
• Put the lemon juice, zest, sugar and butter in the bowl and stir until the butter has melted.
• Whisk the egg in a separate jug or bowl, then very gradually pour this into the bowl with the lemon mixture, whisking constantly as you pour to prevent the egg from curdling.
• Let the mixture cook for about another 10 minutes until thickened, stirring frequently.
• Leave to cool whilst you prepare the buns. You can also make this in advance and store in the fridge for up to a week.
• Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
• Heat the milk in the microwave until warm but not hot - about 40 seconds. It should be a comfortable temperature to hold your finger in the milk.
• Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Pour in the warm milk, followed by the melted butter and beaten egg.
• Stir until everything comes together into a dough. It should be soft, slightly sticky but easy to handle. If it feels a little too sticky, add extra flour 1 tbsp at a time. If it feels too dry, add more warm milk 1 tbsp at a time.
• Gather the dough into a ball with your hands and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for a few minutes until soft and elastic.
• Place the dough into a large lightly oiled mixing bowl and cover with cling film. Leave in a warm place (approx. 25 degrees C) to prove for about 1 hour or until roughly doubled in size.
• Line two baking trays with baking paper.
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. You want to create a rectangle shape roughly 30x40cm in size.
• Spread 6 tbsp of the lemon curd you prepared earlier all over the dough.
• Sprinkle over the sultanas.
• Starting from the shorter edges, tightly roll up the dough into a sausage shape.
• Slice into 12 pieces and place them onto the prepared baking trays, leaving enough space between each for them to expand.
• Cover with cling film and leave to prove in a warm place (approx. 25 degrees C) for 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan or 370F/330F fan.
• If desired, you can lightly brush the tops of the buns with egg or milk for a shiny, golden finish.
• Bake the buns for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 170C/150C fan or 330F/300 fan and bake for another 5-10 minutes.
• Leave the buns to cool for at least an hour before adding the topping.
• Mix the icing sugar with 2-3 tbsp of water until you have a thick but spreadable icing.
• Spoon the icing on top of each bun, or dip each bun into the icing.
• Top with a glace cherry half.

BELGIAN BUNS

Steps:

• Heat milk with 3oz of fat till it is just melted.
• Cream the yeast with 3oz sugar.
• Add to milk.
• Sieve flour into a large bowl.
• Make a well in centre.
• Beat in the eggs and yeast.
• mix to a soft dough.
• Cover with a damp cloth and put in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours till doubled in size.
• Turn on to a floured surface and knead well.
• Roll into oblong about 16 x 12 inches.
• Melt reminaing fat and brush over dough, sprinkle with dried fruit and remaining sugar.
• Roll dough up tightly and cut into about 16 slices.
• Put onto a baking sheet for another 20- 30 minutes.
• Bake at 450F for about 20 minutes.
• Keep an eye on them.
• When cold, ice with white water icing and pop cherry in midde.