Best Homemade Belgian Bun Recipe for Beginners
Guide or Summary：Ingredients You'll NeedPreparing the DoughShaping and Filling the BunsBaking the BunsAdding the Finishing TouchesEnjoy Your Homemade Belgia……
Guide or Summary：
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Preparing the Dough
- Shaping and Filling the Buns
- Baking the Buns
- Adding the Finishing Touches
- Enjoy Your Homemade Belgian Buns
If you're on the hunt for a delicious and easy-to-follow Belgian bun recipe, you've come to the right place. Belgian buns are a delightful treat that combines the soft, fluffy texture of a bun with the sweet, tangy flavor of lemon curd and the richness of icing. This guide will take you through each step of making these delightful buns from scratch, ensuring that even beginners can achieve bakery-quality results at home.
Ingredients You'll Need
To start, gather the following ingredients:
- 500g strong white bread flour
- 50g caster sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 10g instant yeast
- 300ml warm milk
- 1 large egg
- 75g unsalted butter, melted
- 200g lemon curd
- 100g sultanas or raisins
- 300g icing sugar
- 2-3 tbsp water
- Glacé cherries for decoration
Preparing the Dough
1. **Mix the Dry Ingredients**: In a large mixing bowl, combine the strong white bread flour, caster sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Make sure the yeast does not come into direct contact with the salt to ensure it activates properly.
2. **Add the Wet Ingredients**: Warm the milk until it is lukewarm (not hot) and beat in the egg. Gradually add this mixture to the dry ingredients, followed by the melted butter. Mix until a dough forms.
3. **Knead the Dough**: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment to knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes.
4. **Let It Rise**: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
Shaping and Filling the Buns
1. **Roll Out the Dough**: Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle, approximately 1cm thick.
2. **Add the Filling**: Spread a generous layer of lemon curd over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges. Sprinkle the sultanas or raisins evenly over the lemon curd.
3. **Roll and Cut**: Carefully roll the dough up from one of the long sides to form a log. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 12 equal slices.
4. **Second Rise**: Place the slices onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are spaced apart to allow room for rising. Cover with a damp cloth and let them rise for another 30-45 minutes.
Baking the Buns
1. **Preheat the Oven**: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/400°F/gas mark 6.
2. **Bake**: Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until they are golden brown and cooked through. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Adding the Finishing Touches
1. **Prepare the Icing**: While the buns are cooling, prepare the icing by mixing the icing sugar with 2-3 tablespoons of water to create a thick, smooth icing. You can adjust the consistency by adding more water or icing sugar as needed.
2. **Ice the Buns**: Once the buns are completely cool, spread the icing over the top of each bun. Finish by placing a glacé cherry in the center of each bun.
Enjoy Your Homemade Belgian Buns
Your homemade Belgian buns are now ready to be enjoyed. These buns are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon tea. The combination of the soft, fluffy dough with the sweet and tangy lemon curd, juicy sultanas, and rich icing makes them an irresistible treat. Plus, the glacé cherry on top adds a delightful finishing touch that makes these buns as visually appealing as they are delicious.
Whether you're a seasoned baker or a beginner, this Belgian bun recipe is sure to become a favorite in your baking repertoire. Enjoy the process and, most importantly, enjoy every bite of your homemade Belgian buns!