Bunny Buns Recipes

BUNNY BUNS

Steps:

• For the yeast mixture: Combine the milk and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan and warm over low heat until about 100 degrees F (do not heat above 110 degrees F). Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the yeast, sugar and flour over the surface of the liquid. Set aside without stirring until foamy and rising up the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes.
• For the buns: Whisk the butter, vanilla and egg yolk into the yeast mixture. Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and stir in the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon to make a thick, shaggy and slightly sticky dough. Stir in the raisins. Turn the dough out onto a generously floured work surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 8 minutes. Shape into a ball.
• Grease the inside of a large bowl with butter. Put the dough in the bowl, turning to coat lightly with the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour 30 minutes. (If you have a marker, trace a circle the size of the dough on the plastic and note the time to help you keep track.)
• Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• To form the rolls: Pat and roll the dough with a rolling pin into a 14-by-10-inch rectangle. Cut off a 2-inch-wide strip of dough across the short side and set aside. (If the remaining dough has sprung back a bit, pat it back out to a 12-by-10-inch rectangle.) Cut the large dough rectangle in half lengthwise, then cut each smaller rectangle into six 5-by-2-inch pieces, for a total of 12 pieces. Gather each piece and roll into a tight oval-shaped ball, closing any seams as best you can. Arrange in the prepared baking dish in 3 rows of 4, with any remaining seams tucked under.
• Cut the reserved strip of dough into 24 pieces for the ears. Roll each piece into a 3-inch log, fold in half and pinch the ends together to form an ear. Pinch 2 ears together so they look slightly like a heart. Repeat with the remaining logs to make 12 sets of ears. Hold each set of ears from the front where the ears come to a point and pinch them onto the front third of a dough round to secure. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. (A small indent will remain in the dough if you poke it with your finger.)
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Beat the remaining whole egg with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Remove the plastic wrap and brush the tops of the dough balls and ears with the egg wash.
• Bake the rolls until very golden brown and puffy, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes, then insert 2 mini chocolate chips beneath each set of ears for the bunnies' eyes.
• For the glaze: Stir together the confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla and lemon zest in a bowl until smooth. Transfer half of the glaze to a small piping bag or resealable plastic bag and make a small cut in the corner. Add the pink food coloring to the remaining glaze and stir to combine. Transfer the pink glaze to a small piping bag. Pipe the pink icing inside of the ears. Pipe a big dollop of white glaze where the bunnies' tails would be. Cover the white icing with the shredded coconut.

ORANGE-GLAZED BUNNY ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, shortening, eggs, sugar, orange juice, orange zest, salt and 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down; turn on a lightly floured surface. Divide into 13 pieces. Shape 12 pieces into 12-in. ropes. Fold each in half; twist top half of the open end twice to form ears. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Shape remaining dough into 12 balls. Place one on the loop end of each roll to form a tail; press into dough. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes., Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients. Spread over rolls.

EASTER BUNNY ROLLS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine sugar, shortening, egg, celery seed, salt, sage, nutmeg, yeast mixture and 2 cups flour; beat on medium speed until mixture resembles sand. Add milk, blend until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic; about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; let rest 10 minutes., Divide dough into 24 pieces. For each bunny, roll one piece of dough into a 20-in. rope. Cut rope into one 10-in. piece, one 5-in. piece, two 2-in. pieces and one 1-in. piece. Coil 10-in. piece for body; place on a greased baking sheet. Coil 5-in. piece for head; place next to body. Form ears from the 2-in. pieces and tail from the 1-in. piece; add to bunny. Pinch and seal pieces together. Repeat, placing bunnies 2 in. apart on the baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel; let rise until doubled, about 25 minutes., Preheat oven to 375°. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Brush with melted butter. Serve warm.

HONEY-GLAZED BUNNY ROLLS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, heat milk with honey, stirring, over low heat just until lukewarm and remove pan from heat. Stir in yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add butter and yolks, whisking until combined well.
• Transfer milk mixture to bowl of a standing electric mixer (or to a large bowl, if kneading by hand). Add flour and salt gradually to milk mixture, stirring until incorporated. With dough hook, knead dough until smooth, about 2 minutes. (Alternatively, dough may be kneaded by hand on a lightly floured surface until smooth, 10 to 15 minutes.)
• Transfer dough to a lightly oiled large bowl and turn to coat with oil. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in refrigerator overnight, or until doubled in bulk. (Alternatively, dough may be allowed to rise in a warm place about 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.)
• Grease 2 baking sheets. Punch down dough and divide into 12 pieces. Form each piece into an egg shape and transfer pieces to prepared baking sheets. Form a bunny tail on each piece by holding scissors, points down, perpendicular to baking sheet and making a 1/2-inch-long snip at base of wide end. Form 2 bunny ears on each piece by making a narrow 2-inch-long snip on each side, starting near wide end and cutting toward narrow end. Form eyes on each piece by making 2 holes in narrow end with a wooden pick and pressing a currant half firmly into each hole with pick.
• Brush half of warm glaze on rolls and let rise, covered loosely with plastic wrap, in a warm place 45 minutes or less, or until doubled, in bulk (rising will take longer if dough is cold).
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Heat remaining glaze over low heat just until warm and brush rolls. Bake rolls in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets in oven halfway through baking, 20 minutes, or until golden, and transfer to racks to cool.
• Serve rolls warm or at room temperature.
• In a small saucepan, heat glaze ingredients over low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted. Remove pan from heat and keep glaze warm, covered.

EASTER BUNNY BUNS

Steps:

• Combine sour cream, butter, and water in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until butter is melted, then set aside to cool until tepid.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Combine whole wheat flour, eggs, sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the kneading attachment. Add sour cream mixture and mix at low speed; increase to medium speed as a ball is formed. Add a little more flour if dough is sticky.
• Form dough into balls. Use clean kitchen scissors to make snips to form ears and add peppercorns for eyes.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.