Who’s up for a Buhtle? Buhtle are sweet buns made of yeast dough and usually filled with jam (traditional – plum jam (Powidl)) or some kind of chocolate spread. Once baked they are dusted with powdered sugar and served with a glass of milk.
Buhtle is a type of dessert/breakfast that brings back my childhood memories. My grandgrandmother (my father’s grandmother) made the best Buhtle. She always filled them with homemade plum jam and I still believe that plum jam is the best way to fill this sweet buns. She lived with us until her death at the age of 94, I was 17 then. I will always remember the smell of freshly baked Buhtle that was spreading through the house and the smell waited me at the door when I came from school. Ah, carefree childhood! Those were good days.
I haven’t made Buhtle for a very, very long time. Sadly, I don’t have her recipe, I think she actually didn’t even have one, she made all yeast dough by eye measurement and by touch.
So, I was playing with yeast dough few months ago and found very interesting article about tangzhong (you can read article HERE) – a technique for softer yeast bread, buns and rolls.
WHAT IS TANGZHONG
A Japanesse technique Tangzhong, or water roux, is a mixture of 1 part flour to 5 parts water or milk, that you stir and cook until the starches in the flour gelatinize and the mixture thickens. This magically happens at 65°C (150°F). This is done in order to make a loaf of bread that is lighter, that has a more tender crumb and a longer shelf life.
WHICH INGREDIENTS YOU NEED
- all-purpose/plain flour
- milk
- unsalted butter, very soft (but not melted)
- egg
- granulated sugar
- dry yeast
- vanilla extract
- salt
- filling: your favorite jam, Nutella, any other chocolate spread, poppy seed filling, etc…
FEW TIPS AND TRICKS
- First, don’t be alarmed with this Tangzhong technique, it is really easy to make (you only cook milk and some flour until thick – that’s all). But you will be awarded with the softest buns ever.
- I always suggest using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, buy it! They are cheap and you will always ensure same results in baking!
- I use Large eggs which are around 60-65 grams. In US it would be a XL egg.
- What pan to use? In this recipe I used round baking dish (28 cm in diameter), but it is important that the dish is large enough for your buns sits not to thightly to one another as they need more place to spread. I think standard baking pan 23×33 cm (9×13 inch) would be good.
- The filling I used is our local brand of chocolate hazelnut spread Lino Lada Gold, amazing spread which I love more than Nutella, it contains a pieces of toasted hazelnuts. So good!
- You can make the dough in the evening, fill the buns, let it rise and then wrap the whole pan into cling film and put it into refrigerator overnight and bake in the morning. Freshly baked buns for breakfast! YUMMY!
- If you are going to refrigerate them overnight, take them out about 15-20 minutes before you turn on the oven to bring them to room temperature.
→If you make this sweet buns, please leave a comment, rate it and tag @mihaela_biteitquick on Instagram! I would love to see what you baked!
Happy baking,
Homemade Buhtle (Sweet Buns)
Ingredients
For slurry
- 100 ml milk 3.5 oz
- 20 grams all-purpose flour 0.7 oz
Dough
- 160 ml warm milk 5.64 oz
- 50 grams granulated sugar 1/4 cup
- 1 package dry yeast 7 grams, 0.25 oz
- 400 grams all-purpose flour 14.1 oz, 3 cups+3 Tbsp
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg 60 grams
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 30 grams very soft butter 2 Tbsp, 1 oz
Filling
- nutella, pan di stelle spread, jam, sweetened fresh/farmers cheese, poppy seed filling, etc...
More:
- 45 grams melted butter 3 Tbsp, for brushing before baking
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Mix 20 grams flour and 100 ml milk in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook shortly until thick; set aside to cool.
- In a bowl of stand mixer (or if using your hands for kneading, use large bowl) add milk, yeast and sugar and let it rise for 10 minutes until bubbly. Add in flour, salt, egg, vanilla and lukewarm slurry and using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until your dough comes together. Add in the butter and continue kneading on medium speed for about 10 minutes until the dough is no longer sticky and is elastic. Gather the dough into a ball shape.
- Grease a large bowl with oil. Place dough into a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it proof until it’s doubled in size, about 1.5- 2 hrs.
- Deflate and divide the dough into 12-16 equal portions (depends how large you want your Buhtle). I cut mine in 12 pieces.
- Roll out each part in a circle and spread about 1 Tablespoon of filling of your choice. I used chocolate-hazelnut spread. Close each one by covering the filling with dough, then twisting and sealing the dough, put it in the greased baking pan, sealed part should be facing down in the pan. Cover with kitchen towel and let it rise for 45 minutes (I've wraped the whole pan into cling film and put it into refrigerator overnight and baked in the morning.)
- Preheat oven to 180 °C ( 350 °F). Brush each bun with melted butter and bake around 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let it to cool slightly, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy with a glass of milk. These are the best served warm.
- Store leftovers at room temperature wrapped into a plastic foil or in covered container up to 2 days.
Notes
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