Spring seems like it's ALMOST here in England, with lighter nights and mornings - and with that, my thoughts turn to Mothering Sunday, and some baking, with these delectable Traditional Mothering Buns.
This is a very regional British recipe, hailing from Bristol in the South West of England. You can find these sweet buns at Joe’s Bakery on Gloucester Road and some other local bakeries the day before Mothering Sunday.
I served the last batch as part of an early Mothering Sunday afternoon tea, and on some pretty Burleigh Blossom Calico pottery, with a pot of tea, and cups and saucers of course.
Prep time: 2 HOURS 15 MINUTES
Cook time: 15 MINUTES
(Makes 12 buns)
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE BUNS:
500g strong white bread flour
1 tsp salt
50g caster sugar
7g sachet instant yeast
50g unsalted butter, diced and softened
300mls tepid water
FOR THE ICING:
200g icing sugar
2 to 3 tbsps water
Hundreds & Thousands
INSTRUCTIONS:
Sieve the flour, and salt into a large mixing bowl, then rub in the butter using your fingertips. Make a well in the centre of the mixture, then add the sugar and the dried yeast.
Add the tepid water to the flour mixture, mix together to a form a soft, pliable dough.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead lightly for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
Shape the dough into a ball and place it into the buttered/greased mixing bowl, then cover with a clean tea towel (or a shower cap) and set aside in a warm place for one hour to prove.
Turn out the proved dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knock back the dough. Form a big ball of dough.
Divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, into a bun shape using the palms of your hands. Cover the buns with a tea towel, and set aside to rise for 30 to 40 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/450F/Gas 7.
When the buns have risen, bake them in the pre-heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until pale golden-brown, and when turned over and tapped on the underneath they sound hollow.
Then set them aside to cool on a wire rack.
Make the icing: mix the icing sugar with enough water to give a thick but pourable consistency.
Dip each roll into the icing and then into the hundreds and thousands.
NOTES:
Once the sweet buns are made, you can freeze them - just defrost them a few hours before you want to serve the, then add the icing and hundreds & thousands.
They keep well in a cake tin for up to 3 to 4 days, and if they become a bit stale or dry, then they are also delicious when split and buttered - maybe even with a dollop of jam.
Mothering Sunday is has been celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent since the 16th century.
Karen Burns-Booth
Food & Travel Writer
Guild of Food Writers
www.lavenderandlovage.com