Baking Recipes - Bath Buns Recipe

  
 

Baking Recipes - Bath Buns Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 10

  • 15 g/1/2 oz fresh yeast or 1 1/2 teaspoons fast-action dried yeast

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 300 ml/1/2 pint lukewarm milk

  • 375 g/12 oz plain flour

  • 125 g/4 oz butter

  • 75 g/3 oz caster sugar

  • 2 eggs, beaten

  • 50 g/2 oz chopped mixed peel

  • 50 g/2 oz lump sugar, coarsely crushed

Method:

  1. Cream the yeast with the sugar and add to the warm milk. (If using dried yeast, mix with the sugar and half the milk. Leave in a warm place until frothy, then add the rest of the milk.)

  2. Put the flour in a bowl and pour the yeast mixture into a well in the centre. Leave until frothy, then mix to a dough. Cream the butter and sugar, add the eggs, reserving a little to glaze, and work into the dough.

  3. Reserve a little peel for decoration, then add the rest to the dough. Cover the dough with a cloth and leave in a warm place to rise for about 40 minutes.

  4. Turn out the dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, then shape into buns measuring 7.5 cm/3 inches across and place well spaced out on a greased baking sheet.

  5. Leave to rise for a further 15-20 minutes, then brush with the rest of the egg, sprinkle with the crushed sugar and a little chopped peel.

  6. Bake the buns in a preheated oven, 150°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4, for about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Note: These light, sugary buns are thought to be the invention of the famous Dr Oliver of Bath. He was also responsible for creating the Bath Oliver biscuit.