Buchteln
Ingredients
- 150 ml warm milk
- 5 g (1½ tsp) active dry yeast
- 40 g sugar
- 1 large egg
- 77 g butter, melted and cooled, for the dough
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 325 g all-purpose flour
- About 5 tbsp smooth apricot jam
- 3 tbsp melted butter, for the pan and coating
- Icing sugar, for dusting
Buchteln came to Vienna from Bohemia and settled into the city's coffee houses, where they are served warm with vanilla sauce. The dough is a simple sweet yeast dough — milk, egg, melted butter, sugar and vanilla — that stays quite sticky and is kneaded with oiled hands. Each portion is flattened, wrapped around a spoonful of smooth apricot jam and sealed into a tight ball, then dipped in melted butter and packed into a buttered dish so the buns rise into one another. They bake to a golden crust with soft, tearable sides and are dusted with icing sugar.
Method
Sprinkle the yeast over the warm milk and leave for 10 minutes to activate. Whisk in the sugar, egg, cooled melted butter, vanilla and salt.
Stir in 200 g of the flour with a whisk until smooth, then switch to a wooden spoon and add the rest gradually. Fold the dough over itself in the bowl for a few minutes, then knead with oiled hands for about 5 minutes; it will stay sticky.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Turn onto a floured surface and divide into 12 pieces. Fold the edges of each piece into the centre to make a smooth ball, then flatten it into an 8 cm circle, thicker in the middle.
Put a teaspoon of jam in the centre of each, gather the dough around it, pinch to seal and round the bun again. Set seam-side down.
Brush a 28 x 18 cm ceramic dish with melted butter. Roll each bun in the remaining melted butter and arrange them in the dish, close together. Cover and proof for 20-30 minutes until puffy.
Bake at 190°C (375°F) on the centre rack for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 5-10 minutes, dust with icing sugar and serve warm, with vanilla sauce if you like.
