Spice Bun Recipes

JAMAICAN SPICE BUN BREAD

Steps:

• Warm beer on low flame- add browning, brown sugar, molassas,jam, honey & butter. Stir until dissolved. Let this mixture cool down to room temperature before proceeding.
• Sift together all dry ingredients. Mix in fruits. Add melted beer mixture. Stir together. Pour into two greased bread pans. Bake at 350 degree oven for about 1 hour.

PUMPKIN SPICE BUNS

Steps:

• For the dough: Add the milk and 1/2 cup water to a medium saucepan and warm over low heat until it is about 100 degrees F (but no more than 110 degrees F). Remove from the heat and sprinkle the yeast over the surface over the liquid. Sprinkle a pinch of the granulated sugar over the top and set aside without stirring, until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk in 4 tablespoons of the butter, the vanilla and egg yolk until well combined.
• Whisk the flour, remaining granulated sugar and 3/4 teaspoon of salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and use a wooden spoon to stir in the yeast mixture until the dough becomes thick and slightly sticky. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead until it is soft and elastic, about 6 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball.
• Brush the inside of a large bowl with the remaining melted butter. Place the dough in the buttered bowl, turning to coat lightly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and use a permanent marker to trace a circle the size of the dough onto the plastic, noting the time.
• Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Turn the dough out of the bowl and knead briefly on a floured surface to release excess air; reshape the dough into a ball and return it to the bowl. Lightly butter a large piece of plastic wrap and tightly cover the entire bowl. Let the dough proof in the refrigerator for 4 hours and up to overnight.
• For the filling: Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with some of the butter. Whisk the granulated sugar and pumpkin pie spice together in a small bowl. Turn the prepared dough onto a floured work surface and press flat. Then roll into a 10- by 18-inch rectangle, with a long edge facing you. Spread the remaining 1 1/2 sticks of butter evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving about an inch border on the side opposite you.
• Dollop the pumpkin puree over the butter and spread over to cover the same area as the butter. Evenly scatter the pumpkin spice-sugar mixture over the pumpkin puree. Starting from the long side facing you, roll the dough up into a tight 18-inch-long cylinder.
• Lightly brush the clean edge of the dough with water, then press it to the cylinder to seal.
• Slip a long taut piece of string or unflavored dental floss under the roll, about 1 1/2 inches from the end. Lift and cross the string ends over the roll, and then pull the ends tightly in opposite directions to cut a single roll. Repeat, cutting every 1 1/2 inches, to make 12 buns. Place the buns cut-sides-down in the prepared pan, leaving 1 inch of space between them. Cover the baking dish loosely with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise until the buns double in size, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake the buns until golden brown and the tops spring back when pressed lightly, about 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
• For the glaze: Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, butter, milk, vanilla and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Drizzle over the warm buns and serve.

SPICED HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Put the flour, yeast, caster sugar and 1 tsp salt into a large mixing bowl with the spices and dried fruit and mix well. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk, 50ml warm water, the beaten egg and the melted butter. Mix everything together to form a dough - start with a wooden spoon and finish with your hands. If the dough is too dry, add a little more warm water; if it's too wet, add more flour.
• Knead in the bowl or on a floured surface until the dough becomes smooth and springy. Transfer to a clean, lightly greased bowl and cover loosely with a clean, damp tea towel. Leave in a warm place to rise until roughly doubled in size - this will take about 1 hr depending on how warm the room is.
• Tip the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for a few secs, then divide into 12 even portions - I roll my dough into a long sausage shape, then quarter and divide each quarter into 3 pieces. Shape each portion into a smooth round and place on a baking sheet greased with butter, leaving some room between each bun for it to rise.
• Use a small, sharp knife to score a cross on the top of each bun, then cover with the damp tea towel again and leave in a warm place to prove for 20 mins until almost doubled in size again. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• When the buns are ready to bake, mix the plain flour with just enough water to give you a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag (or into a plastic food bag and snip the corner off) and pipe a white cross into the crosses you cut earlier. Bake for 12-15 mins until the buns are golden and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. While still warm, melt the granulated sugar with 1 tbsp water in a small pan, then brush over the buns.

SPICED FRUIT BUNS

Steps:

• Zest the orange, then juice it. Place the sultanas in a bowl or jug and cover with the orange juice. Leave to soak for 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.
• Into another bowl, add all the other ingredients, including the zest of the orange. Mix thoroughly and knead for at least 10 minutes. If you have a bread maker, this is ideal.
• When the dough is thoroughly kneaded and smooth, add the juice-infused sultanas (and any leftover juice) and knead thoroughly so they're fully incorporated. Again, if you have a bread maker, a few minutes on a kneading cycle will do this nicely for you.
• Place the finished mixture into a large greased bowl, cover with cling film, and leave for 90 minutes or so to rise.
• Turn out the risen dough onto a floured surface, divide into around 15 pieces, shape into slightly flattened balls, and place on a baking tray that's lined with parchment. Cover with a piece of greased cling film and leave for an hour to rise again.
• Remove the cling film and bake for 18 minutes in the centre of a 180 degC oven.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool. While still hot, optionally dissolve a couple of teaspoons of sugar in a little boiling water and paint each bun with a pastry brush to achieve a shiny, sticky coating.

TANYA'S JAMAICAN SPICE BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease two 8x4-inch loaf pans.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt together in a bowl; set aside. Beat the egg in a mixing bowl; whisk in the milk, beer, and 1 3/4 cups of brown sugar until the brown sugar has dissolved. Stir in the butter, browning sauce, vanilla extract, and lime juice until blended. Add the flour mixture and raisins. Stir until no dry lumps remain. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.
• When the bread is nearly finished, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and the water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil until the sugar is thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Pour the glaze over the bread once it's done; return the bread to the oven and bake 5 minutes longer. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.