Saffron buns ask for more patience than most weeknight baking, but the work itself is straightforward. The dough rises twice, gets rolled with a buttery sugar filling, then is cut into strips and tied into knots. The saffron gives the crumb a warm golden color and a floral flavor that is hard to replace. My knots rarely match. A few are tidy, a few look as if they lost an argument, and they all bake into good buns once the pearl sugar goes on top.
Why this dough holds its shape
The recipe begins by cutting softened butter into part of the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Warm milk, vanilla, saffron, and eggs turn that mixture into a firm dough. Add the remaining flour gradually because the exact amount depends on humidity and how the flour was measured. The goal is smooth and elastic, not dry. If the dough becomes stiff before all the flour goes in, stop adding it.
Kneading for 5 to 7 minutes develops enough structure for the strips to stretch and knot without tearing. The first rise gives the dough its lift. The second, shorter rise relaxes the shaped buns and keeps them from baking up dense.
Saffron, filling, and pearl sugar
One teaspoon of saffron threads flavors the full batch. Add it to the warm milk so the color begins to spread through the dough. The milk should be 110°F to 115°F. Hotter milk can damage the yeast, while cool milk simply makes the rise slower.
The filling is a paste of melted butter and sugar. Spread it close to the edges but leave a narrow border to reduce leaks. Pearl sugar stays crunchy in the oven and gives the buns their distinctive finish. If a little filling escapes onto the parchment, leave it alone until the pan cools. Those caramelized bits are a baker’s snack.
Rolling, knotting, and baking
After the dough doubles, punch it down and roll it into a 20 by 15-inch rectangle. Spread on the filling. Fold the top third toward the center, then fold the bottom third up to meet the top edge. Roll the folded dough gently into an 18 by 8-inch rectangle.
Cut eighteen 1-inch strips. Tie each strip into a loose knot, tuck the ends underneath, and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover the buns and let them rise for about 30 minutes, until almost doubled. Heat the oven to 375°F during this rise.
Beat one egg with a tablespoon of water. Brush the risen buns lightly and sprinkle them with pearl sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden. Check the center buns because they often color more slowly than those near the edge.
Cool the buns before storing them airtight. They are best the day they are baked, but a short warm-up restores some softness. The supplied nutrition is 295 calories per bun.
Flour the counter lightly during rolling. Too much loose flour prevents the folded layers from gripping and can dry the buns. If the dough springs back and fights the rolling pin, cover it and wait five minutes. That short rest relaxes the gluten. When cutting strips, a pizza wheel makes quick, clean lines, though a sharp knife works. Keep the knots loose enough to expand during the second rise. Tight knots can bake into dense centers even when their outsides look ready.
Saffron Buns
Description
Soft saffron buns are rolled, folded, knotted, and baked under a crisp pearl-sugar topping.
Ingredients:
Instructions
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Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast; cut in butter.
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Add warm milk, vanilla, saffron, and eggs.
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Beat, then add enough flour for a firm dough.
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Knead 5 to 7 minutes and rise about 1 hour.
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Roll to 20 by 15 inches, spread filling, fold in thirds, and roll to 18 by 8 inches.
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Cut 18 strips, knot, and rise 30 minutes.
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Brush with egg wash, add pearl sugar, and bake at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes..
Note
Nutrition per bun: 295 calories, 47g carbohydrates, 5g protein, 10g fat, 6g saturated fat, 119mg sodium, 48mg cholesterol, 1g fiber, 21g sugar.