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This bun is where buttery dough, crispy crust and syrupy sugar meet. The unique flavours of juniper and rose take this delicate pastry to the next level. The technique is pretty easy but you'll need patience as this dough needs an overnight rest. But we say, absolutely worth it!
Prep Time: 2 hr + overnight rest
Rising time: 1.5hrs
Cook time: 25 min
Yield: 16 buns
Ingredients
Day 1
200g milk
300g water
700g all-purpose flour
65g brown sugar
7g active dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
227g cup cold butter
Day 2
1/2 cup granulated sugar + 1/2 tbsp dried juniper berries
1/2 cup granulated sugar + 1/2 tbsp dried rose
Directions
Day 1
In a medium saucepan, heat the water and milk until lukewarm.
In the bowl for a stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook, add the brown sugar, yeast, salt and heated milk & water mixture. Begin mixing the ingredients using the dough hook.
Measure out the all-purpose flour and add in cup by cup, allowing the flour to be completely incorporated before adding the next amount. Once all the flour is added, knead the dough for 10 min. You want your dough to be smooth & slightly tacky to the touch.
Choose a large surface to roll out your dough on. Dust with flour and transfer your dough onto the surface. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking, to a size of 80 cm x 30 cm.
Remove your butter from the fridge and slice into thin slices using a vegetable slicer or cheese slicer. Place the slices of butter on the dough to create and even layer of butter over the entire surface.
Fold the dough starting at the 30 cm edge, 6 times to create a rectangle that has seven layers and is about 13 cm x 30 cm.
Then roll out the dough again, dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking, into an 80 cm x 30 cm rectangle. Repeat folding the dough, starting at the 30 cm edge, 6 times to again, create a rectangle that is seven layers and is about 13 cm x 30 cm.
Place the rectangle of dough in a large casserole dish, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Day 2
Create your flavoured sugars by crushing the juniper berries with a mortar and pestle & then mixing into the granulated sugar. Place in a bowl and set aside. Do the same with the dried rose & sugar.
Take your dough out of the fridge. Flour your rolling surface and roll out the dough into a 60 cm x 25 cm rectangle. Cut the dough in half. Cover half the dough with the juniper berry sugar and the other half of the dough with rose sugar.
Roll each dough, from the 30 cm side, into a log. Slice each log crosswise into 8 pieces. Carefully transfer each bun onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Shape them into circles if they flattened slightly during the slicing process.
Cover the buns on the baking sheets with a tea towel and let sit in a warm place for 1.5 hrs.
Pre-heat oven to 375F. Bake each sheet individually in the oven for 25 min. The tops should be golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 min before dipping the tops in sugar (with some more crushed juniper or rose if you like).
Try not to eat all of them in one day & store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
Zhuzh it up!
Juniper berries and rose are pretty subtle flavours but they are absolutely worth seeking out. You should be able to find them at a European specialty market.
If it's citrus you love, these would also be tasty with orange peel, lemon peel or lime peel grated into the sugar.
This amazing recipe was inspired by the Juniper Berry Sugar "Cabin" Buns from North Wild Kitchen