Buns

2021-02-28: UPDATED RECIPE HERE

This is the recipe for buns I learned from my mother - glancing in her cooking notes I gather she learned it from "Magda". The recipe can be changed quite a bit - more or fewer grains, different seeds, different toppings - but the following is a pretty typical example.

Ingredients:

 - 5 dL (2 cups) milk

 - 3 eggs

 - 150 g (2/3 cup) melted shortening

 - 1 tbsp sugar

 - 1 tsp salt

 - 100 g (3.5 oz) fresh yeast OR 21 g (3/4 oz) dry yeast 

- 750 g (27 oz) flour

 - 150 g (5 oz) oat bran

 - 150 g (5 oz) sunflower seeds or walnut pieces

 - poppy seeds

If using fresh yeast: Put the milk and the shortening in a pot and heat on low till shortening is melted - should only be lukewarm, then dissolve fresh yeast in this.

If using dry yeast: Warm the milk in a pot to just above body temperature, dissolve the dry yeast in this and let stand for about half an hour. Then add melted, cooled shortening.

For both types of yeast: Add to the mixture, 2 of the eggs, the sugar, the salt, the oatbran, the sunflower seeds and/or walnuts. About 675 g (24 oz) flour is mixed in in portions - the resulting dough should be sticky. Cover the dough and leave it rise for about half an hour. Shape into buns, remembering to put flour on your hands as the dough is still sticky - about 75 g (3 oz) of flour was used for this.

Place on baking sheet with some space between and let rise for another 20 minutes. Then whisk the remaining egg and brush the buns, add poppy seeds on top. Bake in the middle of the oven at 220 C (440 F) for about 12 minutes (should turn golden on top). Makes about 15 buns. Let them cool at least a little bit before eating.