Belgian buns are among a dying breed of bakes, forgotten about in favour of pretty cinnamon and cardamom buns and creative laminated doughs. Benjamina Ebuehi would love to see more of these old-school, classic treats in bakeries, not least because they are really simple to make. There are no twists or extra frills, just soft, buttery dough swirled with lemon curd and juicy sultanas. The icing glaze and cherry on top are essential, though, for maximum eating pleasure.
Preparation and proving
Prep takes 5 minutes, proving 2 hours 30 minutes or more, cooking 1 hour 15 minutes, and the recipe makes 8 buns. Ingredients include 320g strong white bread flour, 40g caster sugar, 1½ tsp instant yeast, ¼ tsp fine sea salt, 100ml milk, 50ml water, 2 large eggs (1 beaten for egg wash), zest of 1 lemon, 40g unsalted butter, 3-4 tbsp lemon curd, 70g sultanas, and for the glaze 120g icing sugar, 1-2 tbsp water, and 8 glacé cherries.
Put the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl or stand mixer and mix briefly to combine. Pour in the milk, water, one egg and the lemon zest, and stir until the mixture comes together into a shaggy dough. Knead by hand for eight to 10 minutes (or in a stand mixer for about five minutes) until you have a soft dough, then leave to rest uncovered for five minutes.
Shaping and baking
Pat the dough flat on a lightly floured work surface and smush the butter all over the top. Fold the dough over itself, then knead again; it is a messy job, but use a dough scraper to scrape the surface often and it will eventually all come together. Once the butter is completely incorporated and the dough looks silky and shiny, put it in a lightly greased bowl, cover and leave to prove in a warm place for two to three hours, until puffy and nearly doubled in size.
Knock the air out of the dough, then tip it out on to a lightly floured work surface. Roll it out to a roughly 35cm x 25cm rectangle, then spoon the lemon curd on top and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the sultanas all over. Starting from one long side, roll the dough into a log and put it seam-side down on a work surface. Use a sharp, serrated knife to slice the log into eight pieces, then arrange these on a large, lined baking tray. Cover loosely with clingfilm and prove again for 25-35 minutes, until puffy.
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Brush the tops and sides of the buns with a little egg wash, then bake for 10 minutes. Turn down the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the buns are golden brown. Remove and leave to cool while you make the icing.
Finishing touches
Put the icing sugar in a bowl and stir in the water a tablespoon at a time, until it is a thick but pourable consistency. Spoon a dollop of icing on to each bun, letting it fall into the folds, then top with a cherry. Leave the icing to set before eating.
