Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-tail, who were good little bunnies, had Current Buns for their tea, and you can make current buns for your good little bunnies too, with this easy recipe.
The Ferment:
½ cup warm water
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon Instant Yeast
Put all ingredients into a small bowl and stir well. Set aside in a warm place for 15 to 20 minutes or until the mixture is frothy and bubbling a bit.
The Sponge:
To the Ferment add:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water
Mix all together well, well, cover with a clean cloth or plastic and leave in a warm place until the mixture is “spongy” and bubbling. This will probably take from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the temperature and humidity.
The Dough:
To the Sponge add:
1/4 cup additional sugar
1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup currants
2 to 3 cups of all-purpose flour
When the sponge is “working,” (bubbling and spongy looking), add the additional sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and currants to the sponge and mix well. Begin adding the flour, stirring well after each addition. When the dough becomes too thick to stir, turn out onto a floured surface and knead in the remaining flour needed to make a firm, yet pliable dough. Continue to knead until the dough is glossy and smooth, well, as smooth as it can be with all those currants in it. Form into a ball and place into a clean bowl that has been lightly oiled. Cover with plastic or a clean cloth and leave in a warm place until the dough has risen to at least twice its original bulk. When the dough has risen, punch it down and knead very lightly, and return to the bowl and allow to rise again.
After the second rising, punch down, knead lightly and form into buns.
The Buns:
To form into buns, pinch off pieces of dough and form into balls about 2 ½-inches in diameter. Place them about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with Bakers Parchment. Paint the buns with egg glaze, (an egg beaten with one tablespoon of cold water) and sprinkle lightly with Turbinado sugar. Leave in a warm place until about twice their original size. Place in a pre-heated 350° oven and bake until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. When done, remove from the oven and immediately paint with Bakers Syrup. Serve warm or at room temperature. PLEASE, do not reheat in the microwave. The microwave destroys the texture of baked goods. If you must reheat them, do it in a traditional oven, or split them and toast them, or just serve them at room temperature. |
