Pistachio Rose And Strawberry Buns Recipes

PISTACHIO, ROSE AND STRAWBERRY BUNS

Steps:

• Make the dough: Place butter, yeast, egg, sugar and milk in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, or a large bowl if working by hand. Mixing on low speed or stirring with a wooden spoon, add flour and salt. If mixture looks dry, drizzle in another tablespoon or so of milk. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes in mixer, or 5 to 6 minutes by hand, until you get a soft but not sticky dough. Don't worry if you still have some whole flecks of butter running through the dough; they will make your final bun quite light. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 12.
• Make the pistachio cream: Put pistachios in a food processor and blitz until they resemble bread crumbs, then add butter, sugar, egg and flour and pulse until they are well combined to form a paste. Set aside. Cream can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in refrigerator.
• Lightly butter 8 cups of a muffin tin. Remove dough from refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 16- by 8-inch rectangle. Work with as little flour as possible so as not to dry out dough. Use a sharp knife or pizza slicer to cut eight 4- by 4-inch squares. Lift each square into a cup in the muffin tin and push all the way down. Allow excess dough to hang over sides. Divide pistachio cream among cups, then top each with a teaspoon of strawberry jam. Fold corners over lightly to cover filling, but don't push them down. Set aside in a warm place and let them rise for 40 minutes to 1 hour; the buns' folds should rise considerably.
• Place a clean, empty baking sheet in the center of the oven, and heat it to 400 degrees. When buns are done rising, place muffin tin on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Turn sheet front to back, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes.
• While the buns bake, make the syrup: In a small pot, bring 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon water, the sugar and the honey to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in rose water.
• Remove buns from oven and brush generously with syrup; you don't have to use it all. Let cool slightly in the tin before removing and serving.

CHOCOLATE AND PISTACHIO WHIRLIGIG BUNS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine 8 tablespoons butter and the milk, and place over low heat until lukewarm, stirring to melt the butter. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, combine 5 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast. In a medium bowl, beat eggs lightly, and then whisk in milk mixture.
• Using a mixer with a dough hook, or by hand, stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Knead dough for 7-8 minutes until smooth and springy, adding more flour by the tablespoon if necessary to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. Form into a ball, and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 30 minutes.
• Line bottom of a 13-by-10-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
• Punch down the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a rectangle about 22 by 12 inches.
• To make filling, dollop the remaining 8 tablespoons softened butter over the dough and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the butter. Chop pistachios until splintery, and sprinkle evenly over dough. Top with chocolate chips, pressing the chocolate and nuts gently into the dough. Starting from longest side, carefully roll up dough so it looks like a long sausage. Cut dough into 20 slices, each 1-inch thick, and arrange with a cut side up in pan.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush buns with beaten egg, and let them sit in a warm place until puffed up and spongy to the touch, about 15 minutes. Bake until buns are risen and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan at least 30 minutes, then cut and serve warm.