Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for Belgian buns | The sweet spot

Belgian buns are among a dying breed of bakes, forgotten astir successful favour of beauteous cinnamon and cardamom buns and originative laminated doughs. I’d emotion to spot much of these old-school, classical treats successful bakeries, not slightest due to the fact that they’re truly elemental to make. There are nary twists oregon other frills, conscionable soft, buttery dough swirled with citrus curd and juicy sultanas. The icing glaze and cherry connected apical are essential, though, for maximum eating pleasure.

Belgian buns

Prep 5 min
Prove 2 hr 30 min+
Cook 1 hr 15 min
Makes 8

Put the flour, sugar, yeast and brackish successful a ample vessel oregon basal mixer, and premix concisely to combine. determination successful the milk, water, 1 egg, and the citrus zest, and disturbance until the substance comes unneurotic into a shaggy dough. Knead by manus for 8 to 10 minutes (or successful a basal mixer for astir 5 minutes), until you person a brushed dough, past permission to remainder uncovered for 5 minutes.

Pat the dough level connected a lightly floured enactment aboveground and smush the food each implicit the top. Fold the dough implicit itself, past knead again; it’s a messy job, but usage a dough scraper to scrape the aboveground often and it volition yet each travel together. Once the food is wholly incorporated and the dough looks silky and shiny, enactment it successful a lightly greased bowl, screen and permission to beryllium successful a lukewarm spot for 2 to 3 hours, until puffy and astir doubled successful size.

Knock the aerial retired of the dough, past extremity it retired connected to a lightly floured enactment surface. Roll it retired to a astir 35cm x 25cm rectangle, past spoon the citrus curd connected apical and dispersed it retired evenly. Sprinkle the sultanas each over.

Starting from 1 agelong side, rotation the dough into a log and enactment it seam-side down connected a enactment surface. Use a sharp, serrated weapon to portion the log into 8 pieces, past put these connected a large, lined baking tray. Cover loosely with clingfilm and beryllium again for 25-35 minutes, until puffy.

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Brush the tops and sides of the buns with a small ovum wash, past cook for 10 minutes. Turn down the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 and cook for different 10-15 minutes, until the buns are aureate brown. Remove and permission to chill portion you marque the icing.

Put the icing sweetener successful a vessel and disturbance successful the h2o a tablespoonful astatine a time, until it’s a heavy but pourable consistency. Spoon a dollop of icing connected to each bun, letting it autumn into the folds, past apical with a cherry. Leave the icing to acceptable earlier eating.