Hi pals,
It took me while to find my feet after the restaurant reopened, but here I am! If you’re new here (which I knew a few of you are), welcome, and thank you for waiting!
Look, I know you expected a berry or stone fruit extravaganza in celebration of summer finally breaking through, but I really, really craved something orangey! Oranges are so sunny! Emancipate them from the confines of Christmas desserts!
Full disclosure, I did also bake them because I had a lot of candied peel in my cupboard from my Christmas pop-up bakery project that never was, so they are a tiny bit festive, but feel free to omit it. You know what I think could be nice? Toasted coconut flakes. It’s giving me Malibu alco-pop vibes and I don’t hate it.
I should also say that when I baked them I tried to get some bay flavour in by infusing the milk, but it just didn’t come through. I still think it would be delicious, but I’m not sure going in the milk is the best way, so will come back to that at some other point.
I hope you bake these while listening to lots of summery tunes with the windows wide open. Is it a coincidence that the icing of these buns matches the two piece Lorde wears in the Solar Power video? I don’t think so.
Orange Iced Buns
350ml milk
50g unsalted butter
10g dried active yeast
30g sugar
400g strong white flour
200g plain white flour
2tsp salt
2 eggs, whisked together
1 egg, beaten, to glaze
120g candied peel
250g icing sugar
juice of half an orange, zest of a whole orange
Put the milk and butter into a saucepan and scald. Leave to cool to about blood temperature - it should be warm, but not hot.
Meanwhile, combine yeast, 1tsp sugar and 2tsp milk in a small bowl and leave to activate for approx. 10min.
In a large bowl, combine flours, salt and remaining sugar. Add the yeast mixture and the cooled milk/butter, then bring together into a shaggy dough. Tip out onto a floured worktop and knead for approx. 10min, until you have a smooth, bouncy dough. Alternatively - combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, then knead for 5min or so until a smooth dough forms.
Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cover with a shower cap/ place in a clean plastic bag/ if you really don’t have a choice, clingfilm. Leave the dough to rise until it has doubled in size, 1-2hrs depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a rough rectangle, about 1cm thick, then scatter the candied peel over. Roll the dough up, then knead briefly to distribute the candied peel through the dough.
Portion the dough into 70g pieces - you should end up with 15. Shape them into round buns - if you’re not sure how to, check out this video.
Place them onto an oiled tray and cover - I just slip the tray into a large plastic bag. Leave them to prove until doubled in size, approx. 1hr.
Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan/GM 6.
Glaze the buns with the prepared egg wash, then bake in the oven for 15-20mins, until they look golden and feel light for their size.
Leave to cool completely on a rack.
To make the icing, combine orange zest and juice, and gradually whisk in sugar to a thick coating consistency. You want to make sure it is thick enough that it won’t run off the buns.
Dip the buns upside down into the icing, swirling lightly to coat them halfway down. Leave them to dry on a rack.
They will keep for a few days in an airtight container, though, like most things, are best eaten fresh! I also kind of want to say - go a step further, slice them up and fill with ice cream? Like a lemon sorbet or vanilla? One way ticket to Yumtown, in my opinion.
Hope you bake them, hope you enjoy them, hope you share them. See you soon!
Mia