Mary Berry Belgian Bun Recipes

BELGIAN BUNS

Steps:

• In a small pan warm the milk until it's lukewarm. Set aside.
• Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the yeast. Make a well in the middle and add the butter, sugar, milk and egg. Mix to combine.
• Using a dough hook, beat on a medium speed until you have a soft dough - about 10 minutes. (If you are not using a mixer you can knead the dough by hand for this step).
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it by hand for 1 minute. Form the dough into a ball and transfer into a lightly greased bowl and cover loosely with a piece of lightly greased cling film. Leave to rise in a draught-free place until it has doubled in size (around 1 to 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge for a slow-rise).
• Generously grease a tray with butter. Set aside.
• Once your dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and using a rolling pin, roll it into a rectangle about 10" by 14". It's important to make sure your dough is of even thickness all over to ensure you have nice neat buns.
• Spread the lemon curd from edge-to-edge of the dough and sprinkle the sultanas evenly over.
• Roll the dough tightly to create a sausage. Cut the sausage into 6 buns - I tend to cut in half, then thirds to ensure even buns. Arrange the rolls in your pre-greased tray and cover loosely with a piece of lightly greased cling film.
• Leave to rise in a draught-free place for 1-2 hours until they look light and puffy.
• After your buns have gone through their second rise, remove the cling film and place the tray in a pre-heated oven at 180°c (160°c for fan assisted ovens) and bake for around 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack when cool enough to touch and leave to cool completely.

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.

EASY ICED BUNS

Steps:

• Pulse together the bread mix and sugar in a food processor or table-top mixer. While the motor is running, add the egg and about 250-300ml lukewarm water, until a soft dough is formed. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth, about 5-10 mins. Leave in an oiled bowl, covered with oiled cling film, in a warm place until doubled in size - about 1 hr.
• Knock back dough by squashing with your fist, and divide into 20 even-sized pieces - keep covered with a clean tea towel so they don't dry out. Shape each into a sausage and place on an oiled baking tray. Cover with oiled cling film and rise until doubled in size again.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Remove film and cook buns on top shelf for 8-10 mins, until golden. Cool on a wire rack. To decorate, mix icing sugar with a little water until stiff but spreadable - add food colouring, if you like. Dip in the top of each bun and scatter with sprinkles.