Yeast Buns with Sultanas and Mixed Peel

I love baking with fresh yeast. I love the smell of the yeast frothing and bubbling in the warm milk and the warm yeasty smell as you take the buns from the oven. But it's not always easy to get the yeast to work as it should.  I find it's always easier working with yeast on a nice warm sunny day. I like to mix and knead my dough in the sun if I can. My kitchen doesn't get any sunlight so I take the bowl to a sunny spot and knead it there...and I like kneading the dough by hand.

The original recipe calls for more sultanas and more sugar but I always reduce the sugar content in recipes by at least half and still find that pretty sweet. The trickiest part of yeast recipes is knowing when the dough has doubled in size. Many recipes give times but in the end I think it's best just to look at your dough and judge it by size and not how long it has rested. On a warm sunny day it will always rise much quicker. 


YEAST BUNS


INGREDIENTS

200 ml milk

40gm brown sugar

30gms fresh yeast

500 gms '00' flour

1 tsp salt

60gm margarine

1 large egg, beaten

50gms mixed peel, finely chopped

30gms sultanas


Heat milk to lukewarm, add 1 tsp of sugar and yeast and stir till dissolved.
Cover with cling wrap and leave in a warm place for about 15 mins or until frothy.

In the meantime sift the flour, salt and the rest of the sugar into a large bowl. Rub in the margarine and make a well in the centre of the flour. Pour in the yeast mixture and the beaten egg and mix together. until it forms a ball of dough. Now knead it for about 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling wrap and leave it in a warm spot until it doubles in size.

Knead the dough for a few minutes working in the sultanas and mixed peel as you continue kneading.

Set your oven to hot.

Divide into 12 pieces and shape each piece into a bun. Arrange on a tray, cover with cling wrap and leave in a warm place for about 20 minutes.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.


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