True confessions here. I have never had a Belgian Bun before now. They are a very popular yeast bread bun over in the U.K., similar in looks to a cinnamon bun, but that is where any similarity ends. These delicious buns are filled with lemon curd and sultana raisins. Yes, you heard that right, lemon curd.
Now why did I never taste one of these when I was actually living in the U.K? I have no answer to that question. Probably because I am not overly fond of store made buns. Usually, they taste stale to me and I am not fond of stale buns.
This all changes when you make your own from scratch, and to be honest it was not something I had ever considered until . . . one, one of my readers asked me to make them, and two, I discovered they are filled with lemon curd, and I LOVE lemon curd!
- 4 1/2 cups (450g) strong bread flour
- 2 1/2 tsp (7g) fast action yeast
- 6 1/2 TBS (75g) sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 fluid ounces (165ml) warm milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten (plus extra egg wash to glaze) (1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water)
- 3 1/2 TBS (50g) butter, melted
- 5 TBS lemon curd
- 1 cup (150g) sultana raisins
- 2 cups (260g) icing sugar
- water
- 12 glace cherries
HOW TO MAKE BELGIAN BUNS
I was surprised at just how simple and easy these were to make! I used my bread machine for the dough part which made them even easier. Just follow the instructions as per your model of machine. Otherwise mix, knead, etc. as per the recipe instructions below.
Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the warm milk, butter and egg. Mix all together well until you have a soft dough. If it feels a bit too sticky or wet you can add 1 TBS flour.
Tip out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently until the dough feels smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball and put into a large, lightly floured bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise for one hour or until doubled in size.
Line a large baking tray with some baking parchment.
Knock the dough back and then lightly roll it out to a rectangle which measures 12 by 18 inches.
Brush one long edge with egg wash. Spread the lemon curd over the remainder of the dough. Sprinkle with the raisins.
Roll the dough up tightly from one long edge towards the egg wash brushed edge, like a jelly roll to form a long log, pinching the edge shut along the egg wash.
Using a sharp knife cut into 12 equal pieces and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Cover lightly with plastic cling film and set in a warm place to rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled in size.
Pre-heat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6.
Once the oven is heated remove the cling film from the rolls. Brush the tops with some egg wash and then bang the baking sheet into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Bake for a further 10 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
Whisk the icing sugar together with enough cold water to give you a thick white icing. Spoon this over top of the cooled rolls and top each with a glace cherry.
Store any leftovers in a tightly covered container. You can freeze these, but do so before frosting.
This was the second time I had actually baked these. I was not happy with the first ones I made. From another recipe, I hasten to add. These turned out lovely, with a beautiful texture and taste. Not at all hard to do either, I confess to making the dough in my bread machine and leaving it for the first proving in the machine.
After that it was an easy roll out, topping/filling, cutting and leaving to rise again, prior to baking to perfection. I quite enjoyed these. I took half of them to my next-door neighbor who was thrilled beyond measure. Beautiful with a hot drink.
Do note, these are best eaten on the day.
Belgian Buns
A traditional yeast bun, filled with lemon curd and plenty of sultana raisins. Beautiful served fresh along with a hot drink.
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups (450g) strong bread flour
- 2 1/2 tsp (7g) fast action yeast
- 6 1/2 TBS (75g) sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 fluid ounces (165ml) warm milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten (plus extra egg wash to glaze) (1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water)
- 3 1/2 TBS (50g) butter, melted
- 5 TBS lemon curd
- 1 cup (150g) sultana raisins
- 2 cups (260g) icing sugar
- water
- 12 glace cherries
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the warm milk, butter and egg. Mix all together well until you have a soft dough. If it feels a bit too sticky or wet you can add 1 TBS flour.
- Tip out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently until the dough feels smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball and put into a large, lightly floured bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise for one hour or until doubled in size.
- Line a large baking tray with some baking parchment.
- Knock the dough back and then lightly roll it out to a rectangle which measures 12 by 18 inches.
- Brush one long edge with egg wash. Spread the lemon curd over the remainder of the dough. Sprinkle with the raisins.
- Roll the dough up tightly from one long edge towards the egg wash brushed edge, like a jelly roll to form a long log, pinching the edge shut along the egg wash.
- Using a sharp knife cut into 12 equal pieces and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Cover lightly with plastic cling film and set in a warm place to rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled in size.
- Pre-heat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6.
- Once the oven is heated remove the cling film from the rolls. Brush the tops with some egg wash and then bang the baking sheet into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Bake for a further 10 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
- Whisk the icing sugar together with enough cold water to give you a thick white icing. Spoon this over top of the cooled rolls and top each with a glace cherry.
- Store any leftovers in a tightly covered container. You can freeze these, but do so before frosting.
- 1 1/2 TBS butter
- 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 small bay leaf, broken in half to release the oils
- 1/4 tsp whole cumin seeds, bruised
- 1/8 tsp dried sage
- 1 1/2 TBS plain flour
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken stock
- 3/4 cup (180ml) light cream or milk
- 3/4 cup (115g) frozen corn
- 1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
- 1 TBS chopped fresh chives
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 cup (30ml) dry white wine
- 1 cup (115g) grated strong cheddar cheese, plus more to sprinkle
- salt and black pepper to taste
.JPG "Cheesy Corn Chowder")
Cheesy Corn Chowder
This is a small batch recipe for an old favorite. It is rich and delicious. You can easily double the measurements to make more if you with, however I do not believe that it freezes well because of the cream in it. There is a risk of it splitting.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 TBS butter
- 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 small bay leaf, broken in half to release the oils
- 1/4 tsp whole cumin seeds, bruised
- 1/8 tsp dried sage
- 1 1/2 TBS plain flour
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken stock
- 3/4 cup (180ml) light cream or milk
- 3/4 cup (115g) frozen corn
- 1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
- 1 TBS chopped fresh chives
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 cup (30ml) dry white wine
- 1 cup (115g) grated strong cheddar cheese, plus more to sprinkle
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a saucepan with a heavy bottom. Add the onion, potato, broken bay leaf, cumin seed and sage.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the onion is softened without browning.
- Stir in the flour. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Don't let it brown.
- Whisk in the stock and the milk.
- Bring to the boil, whisking constantly until smooth. Reduce to medium low and simmer, stirring often, for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- Stir in the corn, parsley, chives, nutmeg and wine. Simmer for a further 5 to 6 minutes until heated through.
- Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the cheese and heat over low heat, just to melt the cheese. Do NOT let the soup boil.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper. Serve hot, ladled into heated bowls with a spoonful of cheddar sprinkled over top of each.
One thing I really love is Vintage Cookbooks. I have a great love for these old recipes which formed the backbone of what we consider to be modern cookery today. Because of this I have collected a few vintage cookbooks, and I like to cook recipes from out of them occasionally.
Today's recipe comes from the Good Housekeeping Cookbook which was published in 1963. I purchased my copy from Thrift Books. It was in excellent condition.
Book is full of recipes and knowledge for beginning cooks or to enlighten a seasoned chef. There are 805 pages, 40 sections, and 3500 recipes. All tested by the Good Housekeeping institute. If you are also a person who enjoys vintage recipes, then you might also enjoy this book!
- 12 thin lemon slices
- 1 7-oz (198.5g) tuna, drained and flaked
- 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (1 slice of bread)
- 2 TBS grated onion
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 (10.5 oz/297g) tin of condensed mushroom soup, undiluted
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 package corn bread or corn muffin mix (see notes below)
- parsley to garnish
Notes
To make your own corn muffin mix to use in this recipe you will need:
2/3 cup plain all-purpose flour (83g)
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (polenta) (85g)
1/3 cup granulated sugar (63g)
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS vegetable oil or melted butter
Combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl until evenly mixed together. Proceed as per the above recipe, using this as the cornbread mix, adding 1/3 cup (80ml) milk and 1 egg.
Tuna Cornbread Pie
This vintage recipe makes a delicious bake that is topped with a lemon glazed tuna souffle on a cornbread base. I think a butter lemon sauce would be nice spooned over top. I served with some peas on the side.
Ingredients
- 12 thin lemon slices
- 1 7-oz (198.5g) tuna, drained and flaked
- 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (1 slice of bread)
- 2 TBS grated onion
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 (10.5 oz/297g) tin of condensed mushroom soup, undiluted
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 package corn bread or corn muffin mix (see notes below)
- parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 10-inch pie plate really well. Arrange the lemon slices in the pan.
- Whisk the flaked tuna, bread, soup, eggs, grated onion and seasoning together until well combined. Spoon this mixture carefully over top of the lemon slices, smoothing it out.
- Prepare the cornbread according to the package directions. Spoon this mixture into the pie dish on top of the tuna mixture, again spreading it out. This should be done carefully so as not to overly disturb the tuna mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven for35 to 40 minutes, until everything is completely set. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. If it is browning too quickly, loosely cover with a piece of foil.
- Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Run a knife around the edge of the pie if necessary. Place a large plate over the pie plate and carefully invert the pie onto the plate, tuna side up
- Sprinkle with parsley and cut into wedges to serve.
Notes
To make your own corn muffin mix to use in this recipe you will need:
2/3 cup plain all-purpose flour (83g)
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (polenta) (85g)
1/3 cup granulated sugar (63g)
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS vegetable oil or melted butter
Combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl until evenly mixed together. Proceed as per the above recipe, using this as the cornbread mix, adding 1/3 cup (80ml) milk and 1 egg.
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