Bath Buns Recipe

Ingredients for Bath Buns:

• 8 oz (225 g) plain flour
• ½  teaspoon salt
• 2 oz (56 g) caster sugar
• ½ oz (14 g) fresh yeast or ¼ (7 g) dried yeast
• ¼ pint (150 ml) full or semi-skimmed milk
• 2 oz (56 g) butter or margarine
• 1 oz (28 g) sultanas
• Grated rind of ½ a lemon
• 1 egg
• 1 oz chopped candied peel
• A little coarse sugar
• Sugar Syrup

Method for Bath Buns:

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl, rub in the fat, and leave in a warm place.
2. Cream the yeast with 1 teaspoon caster sugar, beat the egg and make up to ¼ (150 ml) with warm milk, add to the yeast mixture. Leave until frothy.
3. Make a well in the centre of the warmed flour, add the yeast mixture and mix to a soft dough, adding more warmed milk if necessary.
4. Turn onto a floured surface and knead with the hands to mix well.
5. Put into a clean bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
6. Turn onto a floured surface, knead well and work in the remainder of the caster sugar, candied peel, sultanas and grated lemon rind.
7. Divide the dough into 8 pieces, knead again and shape into buns.
8. Put on a warmed, greased and lightly floured baking tray, cover with a clean cloth and leave to prove for 20 minutes.
9. Brush with sugar syrup and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
10. Bake in the centre of a pre-heated oven set at Gas Mark 6 (400°F/200°C) for about 20 minutes.
11. Transfer onto a wire tray to cool.

This Bath Buns Recipe makes 8 Bath Buns. The sugar syrup, sprinkled with coarse sugar,  give these buns a nice crunch.