Vintage lenten buns.

The recipe for this year's lenten buns comes from an old cookbook. Dating from 1908. But the recipe itself is even older.

The bun

120ml warm milk
15g fresh yeast
2 tbsp rose water
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tbsp spirit, 80 proof
260g flour
75g sugar
50g butter

Dissolve the yeast in warm milk with a spoonful of sugar. Wait till it starts to foam.
Now add the rose water, spirit, cardamom, salt and three-quarters of the flour. Knead well.
Cover and let rise in a warm place for an hour.
Cream soft butter with sugar until pale and fluffy, mix into dough. Add the remaining flour and knead well.
Cover and let rise again.
Knead the dough briefly and form into eight round buns, leaving enough room between them on the baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and let the buns rise until doubled in size. Bake in a 200c oven for about 10 minutes. Brush hot buns with egg wash once more, this prevents them from drying out while cooling.


For the filling (*a more common version)
bun crumb
100g marzipan
130ml double cream
vanilla
25g sultanas

Cut off the bun tops, set aside. Using a paring knife and a small spoon, scoop out the crumb, creating a good-sized cavity. Place all of the crumb into a bowl, mixing it with marzipan. Heat the cream with vanilla and sultanas. When cool enough to handle, mix into the crumb. Make sure it is an even, smooth paste and fill the buns.


To serve
400ml double cream
4 tbsp icing sugar

Whip cream with sugar and pipe a mound on each bun. Cover the buns with the reserved tops and dust with icing sugar.


*The book lists a second, more elaborate filling as well, which I will probably tackle next year.