Danish Fruit Buns

Dried fruit, like in so many northern European countries is integral to baking. When fresh fruit was scarce, bakers turned to dried fruit, which would liven up even the heaviest dough. These Danish Fruit buns are akin to the hot cross bun, but have a more spongy texture and obviously no cross !

This is the second of our #Februarybuns recipe and we hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients

500g strong white bread flour

300g mixed fruit(your choice, we used currants, sultanas and orange peel)

60g butter

14g sugar

20g fresh yeast

3 large eggs

250g full fat milk

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsps mixed spice

1 tsp cardamon

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 190c/375f/Gas 4.

Line a two baking trays with parchment.

Weigh out your flour and add the mixed spice, salt and sugar. Stir this all together.

In a separate bowl weigh out the milk, it's best if it's room temperature. Crumble the fresh yeast into the milk and add the 3 eggs.

This is a very sticky dough, so if you have got a mixer with a dough hook use this. You can of course knead it by hand, this will take 15 to 20 minutes. Perfect amount of time to listen to your favourite podcast.

Add the liquids and then the flour. Mix at a slow speed for 5 minutes. Now add the butter and mix again for another 5 minutes. Now increase the speed of the mixer to medium for around 8 minutes. This can take longer. What you are looking for is an dough that has come away from the bottom of the bowl, so the bowl is clean. Now reduce the speed to lowest and add the mixed fruit. Do this is 3 small batches to ensure the mixed fruit is evenly distributed in your dough.

Tip the dough onto a clean surface and shape into a nice tight round ball and put this in a clean bowl. Cover with clingfilm and a tea towel and let it rise until it has doubled in size.

Once this is done, scoop it out of the bowl using your dough scraper onto a lightly floured surface. Weigh the entire dough. You should have around 800g to 900g. This will yield around 12 to 15 x 75g balls.

It is best if you weigh each ball of dough. Roll out each piece into a tight ball and place them on your baking tray. Let them sit on the tray covered with the tea towel until they have doubled in size and look 'puffy'.

Brush with beaten egg as this will give them a nice shiny sheen, just like polished shoes.

Bake in an oven for 18 to 20 minutes.

These Danish Fruit Buns can be frozen and are delicious at teatime gently heated up in the oven for 8 minutes at 150c.

Velbekommen !