Sad story short, last Christmas I tried to make my own homemade panettone for the first time and it really did not come out as I expected. Happy story a little longer, I re-discovered the true flavours of traditional artisanal panettone, which is so much better than the industrial ones that mostly end up on Italian tables. I knew this already as in recent years I would always buy an artisanal one to share with friends and family in Venice, if I happened to go home for Christmas. Or more than one – I know a couple of reeeeeally good bakeries – based on how many breakfasts, lunches, afternoons and dinners are on the list.
Anyway, back to the little longer happy story. The most amazing thing I learnt through the sad story of the wrong panettone was how to make a “pasta di agrumi” (citrus paste) to go in the dough as part of the aromatic ingredients. My panettone did not turn out well, but what if I could use this newly discovered ‘ingredient’ to create something different, but still bread-ish alike? Anything else that usually has raisins in it?
Then one day I stopped by a local bakery here in London and had another boom moment. Buns. Or rolls. Bun rolls. Let’s call them buns.
Ok, so first of all, I got one. Maybe two. I love cinnamon and Chelsea buns! And actually, their buttery richness may remind of the soft brioche-style dough of artisan panettone. It’s not the same thing, of course, but in my mind that was a good hint and more than enough. So for this recipe, have re-invented the bun and made it into a soft breakfast bun with traditional flavours of the panettone, filled with soft raisins and a delicious sticky citrus paste which also works to replace candied fruit, of which I am not a big fan. Name it, let’s call it a “bun-ettone”!
What I did not expect was all bun-ettones to go just in one day, another sad story. But well, they are thaaaaaat good so, happy happy happy.
Makes 12 buns
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH
- 520g bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 230ml full fat milk
- 65g unsalted butter, softened
- 90g egg (2 medium eggs)
- 9g dry active yeast
- 8g salt
- 45g brown sugar (demerara) plus 5g (1 tsp) to activate the yeast
FOR THE FILLING
- 300g easy peelers, unpeeled, diced (including peel)
- 200g orange, unpeeled, diced (including peel)
- 250g caster sugar
- 10ml lemon juice (2 tsp)
- 100g unsalted butter, softened
- 170g soft brown sugar
- 100g raisins, soaked for 10 mins in warm water
FOR THE FINISHING
- 1 egg, beaten (egg wash)
- 45ml water (3 tbsp)
- 45ml lemon juice (3 tbsp)
- 40g sugar (3 tbsp)
Method
MAKE THE CITRUS PASTE (can be made up to 2 days ahead)
- Pour the diced easy-peelers and orange in a small saucepan with the sugar. Leave to macerate for about 20 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil on medium heat, then gently simmer on a low heat for about 30 minutes. Add the lemon juice and blitz with a stick blender to a thick paste. Let to cool completely and set aside or refrigerate in a container until ready to use.
MAKE THE BUNETTONES
- First activate the yeast. Warm the milk, then pour it into a bowl and add the yeast alongside the 5g (1 tsp) of sugar. Set aside for at least 10 minutes. Alternatively activate the yeast following the pack instructions.
- Pour all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a fountain in the centre and pour the egg, butter and yeasted milk. Stir with a fork or a wooden spoon until all dry bits are incorporated. Scoop it onto a work surface and knead for about 10 to 15 minutes until you get a smooth and soft dough, and it does not stick anymore. Resist the urge to incorporate more flour at this stage.
If using a stand mixer, mix with the hook attachment for about 5 mins on low speed, then 5 mins on medium low. Scoop the dough out onto a work surface and knead by hand for a few minutes to bring it together and give it more structure.
Leave to rise for 45 minutes in a warm place (28° C), covered with cling film and a tea towel. If the temperature is a bit lower, increase the proofing time to 60 minutes. - While the dough proofs, make the filling. Put the soft butter and sugar in a bowl and cream it with a spatula for a few minutes until soft and incorporated (alternatively you can do this step using a stand mixer with the leaf attachment), then add 300g of the citrus paste and keep mixing until incorporated. Reserve any leftover of citrus paste to eat with the buns or for other uses (it makes a delicious filling for biscuits or to simply spread on a toast).
- Once the dough proving is complete, divide it in half (use a scale to measure the weight), take one piece and roll it out to on a floured surface to a 5mm thickness, keeping it as square as possible (take your time, this step it’s very important). Trim any rounded bits from the sides, so that you end up with a 30 x 40 cm rectangle.
- Spread half of the filling evenly all over the dough. Squeeze the water out half of the raisins, scatter them over the filling and roll up the dough as tightly as possible, rolling the short side to get more swirls. Place the roll seam side down onto a tray and refrigerate while you repeat the process with the other half of the dough.
- Take the two rolls and slice each rolls into 6 slices, about 5cm thick. Lay them flat on a deep baking tray, at a distance of about 2cm from one another. Leave to proof again for 45 to 60 minutes, covered with cling film. In the meanwhile, pre-heat the oven at 200°C – 180°C fan.
- Prepare the egg wash. Break the egg into a bowl and lightly beat it. Once the buns have proofed, brush them with the egg wash and bake for 20 minutes until they’ve puffed up and they are a lovely golden brown colour. Whilst the buns are cooking, make the glaze. Put the water, lemon juice and sugar in a pan, heat slightly and keep stirring until the sugar has dissolved you get a syrupy consistency. Set aside to cool.
- To finish the buns, take them out of the oven and, while still warm, lightly glaze with the syrup. Don’t do like me and eat six in a day…or maybe, do. With a nice cup of coffee or latte.