Nutty German Bun
From: Gisele, Aylmer, Quebec, Canada
Comments: This German-style bun, traditionally served at Christmas, is filled with dried fruits and spices.
Serve it all year round, along with a good cup of coffee.
Servings: 1 [3-pound / 1.4-kg] bun
IngredientsPreparation
  • 1 teaspoon [5 g] butter
  • 1/2 ounce [15 g] active dry yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon [2.5 g] sugar
  • 1 tablespoon [15 mL] lukewarm milk
  • 3/4 cup [190 mL] milk, heated almost until boiling
  • 1/2 cup [115 g] butter
  • 3/4 cup [150 g] sugar
  • 4 cups [1 L] flour
  • 1 teaspoon [5 mL] salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon [2.5 mL] cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon [1 mL] mace
  • 1/4 teaspoon [1 mL] cardamom
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1 cup [250 mL] candied fruit peels
  • 1/2 cup [125 mL] seedless raisins
  • 1/2 cup [125 mL] chopped nuts
Icing
  • 2 tablespoons [30 g] melted butter
  • 2 cups [500 mL] icing sugar
  • 2 tablespoons [30 mL] water
  • 1/4 teaspoon [1 mL] vanilla extract
    or
    1/8 teaspoon [0.5 mL] dry vanilla
Decorations
  • 8 nuts, halved
  • Grease a cookie sheet with 1 teaspoon [5 g] butter; set aside.
  • Crumble yeast into a small bowl; crush yeast with a fork, along with 1/2 teaspoon [2.5 g] sugar.
  • Pour in lukewarm milk; stir until smooth.
  • Leave to soak for 15 to 20 minutes into a warm environment, away from drafts, until risen, puffed and foamy.
  • Meanwhile, add remaining 1/2 cup [115 g] butter to warm milk, stirring constantly, until butter has melted.
  • Cool.
  • Sift together remaining 3/4 cup [150 g] sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, mace and cardamom, into a large heated bowl.
  • Make a well in the center; pour in soaked yeast, butter/milk mixture and beaten eggs.
  • Using your fingertips or a spatula, slowly add flour mixture to liquid mixture.
  • Mix until well combined and dough gets away from the sides of the bowl.
  • Transfer dough onto a floured board or marble; knead for approximately 10 minutes.
  • If dough is sticky, add flour to the working surface; dough should be smooth and light.
  • Rinse the large bowl; dry perfectly and ligthly grease bowl.
  • Into the bowl, shape dough into a ball.
  • Sprinkle dough with a little flour; cover bowl with a clean damp cloth.
  • Leave to rest into a warm environment, away from drafts, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until dough has risen and almost double in bulk.
  • Transfer dough onto a floured surface; knead vigourously for approximately 4 minutes.
  • Lightly flour candied fruit peels, raisins and nuts.
  • Remove excess flour.
  • Evenly press candied fruit peels, raisins and nuts into dough.
  • Shape dough into an oval or a half moon; transfer onto a greased baking sheet.
  • Cover dough with a damp cloth; leave to rest into a warm environment, away from drafts, for 30 to 45 minutes, until just a little risen.
  • Preheat oven to 400°F [200°C / th 5 - 6].
  • Bake bun for 15 minutes.
  • Lower oven temperature to 350°F [180°C / th 4 - 5]; bake bun for 30 minutes more.
  • Remove bun from oven, snap it underneath with a finger.
  • If it sounds like a drum, it is not ready.
  • Lower oven temperature to 325°F [160°C / th 3], and bake bun for 5 to 10 minutes more.
  • Cool, onto a wire rack.
  • Meanwhile, mix together icing ingredients.
  • Generously cover cooled bun, using a knife or a spatula, with icing.
  • Decorate with nut halves.
  • Serve bun, sliced into thick slices.
Icing
  • Into a medium bowl, cream together melted butter, icing sugar and water, until well blended.
  • Add vanilla; mix well.