Saffron Buns
Pillowy-soft brioche heavily scented with saffron and fresh lemon
When a friend brought back little tins of saffron from Iran, I knew I had to put them into buns. Long scarlet wisps with a heady scent of honey, they were the most beautiful variety of saffron I’d ever used. Safe to say my entire storage cabinet is now perfumed with it’s sweet smell - an incredible privilege.
I was tempted to throw in some freshly crushed cardamom pods, but decided to go with lemon instead. It adds freshness, subtly complimenting the saffron and letting it truly shine, in an attempt to honour the hard work involved in its labor-intensive production.
If you’re keen to know more, here’s a great piece briefly explaining the process - https://www.foodunfolded.com/article/saffron-how-its-grown
This was also the first bake after a long sabbatical using my stand mixer, which had traveled far and wide to find her way (I call her Céleste) back to me. So it felt like there was more than one reason to celebrate.
You, on the other hand (all five of my readers), need not wait for an occasion to make these. I’ll admit, I may have torn into more than one as a late-morning snack. Pillowy soft and saffron-heavy, with gentle flavours of lemon coming through, these buns are really best enjoyed warm.
Let’s dive in.
Saffron Buns
Makes 6
For the dough-
200g bread flour (minimum 11-12% protein content)
30g caster sugar
4g fine salt
¾ tsp instant yeast
140g eggs (2.5 – 3 eggs depending on the size)
96g butter, cubed
½ tsp Iranian saffron (since this is the hero, use the best you can get your hands on)
For the filling-
80g butter, softened
2 lemons, zested
50g caster sugar
For the syrup-
1 lemon, juiced (~45g)
35g sugar
Directions-
Warm 10-15g of water and add the saffron to it. Leave for 15 minutes to infuse.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, on low speed with the dough hook attachment, mix together flour, salt, sugar, yeast and eggs until it forms a homogenous dough.
Add the infused water and saffron.
Toss in the butter piece by piece, while continuing to mix on low-medium speed, adding the next cube when the previous has been 75% incorporated. Continue till you have none left.
Increase the speed of the mixer to medium high-high and continue to knead for a good 25-30 min, till it stops sticking to the walls of the bowl. The heat generated while mixing helps to further bloom the saffron.
Your dough should pass the windowpane test, or at least be almost there. That’s when you can be sure it’s extensible enough to give you a soft, light crumb, and the butter has nicely enriched the dough. Another test is to tightly ball the dough, and give it a poke, it should spring back slowly.
Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel, and let it proof for 45 min to about 60% of it’s original size.
Knock the air out and put it in a sealed plastic bag in the fridge overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
The next day, whisk the butter, sugar and lemon zest till slightly fluffy and has a spreadable consistency.
Roll the dough into a large rectangle with a thickness of about 2.5–3 mm. Spread the filling evenly all over the surface. Fold the dough in half lengthwise, then gently roll it out from both ends to extend it slightly.
Cut lengthwise into 3 cm strips. Start shaping by gently tugging the two ends of the band to create some tension, tapping against the counter as you go. Twist and roll each strip into a spiral, tucking the outer end securely into the centre. Flip over, and you should have a clean escargot.
Place on a lined oven tray. Cover loosely with a plastic sheet, and let it proof for 2-2.5 hours at around 24-27 C.
In the meanwhile, make the syrup. Bring lemon juice and sugar to a boil. Heat just till the sugar is completely dissolved. Let it cool.
After 2.5 hours, the poke test is a good indicator to know if your buns are proofed. Lightly poke a doughy portion, if the dough barely springs back, leaving a clear indentation, you’re good to go.
Preheat the oven for 15 min at 160 C. Brush with a lightly beaten egg.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the centre is no longer doughy and the buns have just begun to form a crumb, their tops a gleaming golden. Over-baking can ruin the texture of these buns, so it’s always safer to lean towards under-baking.
Brush with syrup while still hot from the oven, so it can melt evenly and give it that lovely gloss. Enjoy warm, perhaps with chai, or vanilla ice cream if you’re feeling indulgent.
Store in an airtight container once completely cool. Re-heat for 15 odd seconds in the microwave before serving.
Love them 😊😊
💜