Apple and cheese spelt bun recipe
Best eaten warm, these Swedish apple and cheese buns are a great slathered in butter for a satisfying snack or lunch. If you want to get ahead, the dough can be left overnight in the fridge after its 4 hour proving time. You can also freeze the baked buns. Reheat at 170°C/340°F/gas mark 3 for 15 minutes.
Recipe from The Little Swedish Kitchen by Rachel Khoo. Published by Michael Joseph, £20.
Ingredients
For the bun dough- 200 g spelt flour, plus extra for dusting
- 110 g rye flour
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 50 g butter, melted
- 30 g honey
- 1 medium egg
- 10 g fresh yeast or 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
- 280 ml whole milk, at body temperature
- 140 g spelt flour
- 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
- 200 g grated Västerbotten or mature Cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp caraway seeds
- 1.5 medium apples, cored, quartered and diced into 0.5cm (0.2 inch) pieces
Details
- Cuisine: Swedish
- Recipe Type: Bun
- Difficulty: Medium
- Preparation Time: 30 mins
- Cooking Time: 20 mins
- Serves: 12
Step-by-step
- To make the leaven, dissolve the yeast in the milk. Sift in the 140g (5oz) of spelt flour to make a paste, then whisk until the mix is smooth. Leave covered with a damp tea towel in a warm place for about 1 hour, until it has risen and dropped.
- Next, mix together the 200g (7oz) spelt flour, the rye flour and the salt. Make a well in the middle and add the remaining ingredients, plus the leaven.
- Mix together until you have a sticky dough, then turn out on to a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is soft and smooth. Your fingerprint should bounce back when you poke it.
- Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 4 hours, until doubled in size.
- When the dough has risen, dust your work surface with flour. Roll the dough into a large rectangle until 0.5cm (0.2 inches) thick (about 45cm long x 35cm wide/ 18 x 14 inches). Brush with egg wash, then sprinkle on the cheese and caraway seeds and scatter over the apple cubes.
- Line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Fold the dough into thirds, lengthwise, first lifting a third of the dough towards the middle, then folding the top third down so it aligns with the bottom edge of the dough (like folding a piece of paper to fit into an envelope).
- Cut the dough into 12 strips, each about 3cm wide (1.5 inches). Cut each of the strips to split them down the middle but stop about 2cm (1 inch) from the top, just like you’re making a pair of trousers. Twist one of the strips, then the other strip. Then twist them both together. Twist into a bun shape and place seam side down on one of the lined trays.
- Repeat with the remaining dough, then brush with egg wash and leave to prove for about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/430°F/gas mark 7. Brush the buns with egg wash once more, then put into the oven on the bottom shelf for 15–20 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Best eaten slightly warm and fresh on the day.
This recipe from The Little Swedish Kitchen by Rachel Khoo. Published by Michael Joseph, £20.
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