Buns by Louise Hurst: Part 2
Cook the Books - Issue #8
sweet and simple bakes
Friends, I did it. I survived another week of buns! And by survive, I of course mean resisting the urge to not eat myself into bun-induced oblivion. Which was no easy feat when the kitchen has been something akin to a busy bakery.
You can catch up on part 1 here:
Buns by Louise Hurst: Part 1
To me, nothing captures the quintessence of baking more than a freshly baked bun. Whatever their shape, texture or flavour (and there are many!), they all promise the same thing - comfort. A balm for the soul.
Buns: Sweet and Simple Bakes by Louise Hurst is a collection of beautiful recipes that showcase how a handful of everyday ingredients can be coaxed into something ‘truly delicious’.
If last week was a lesson in finding confidence in dough, this week has been something else entirely… settling into the cadence of practice. I’m not just following the recipes now, I’m feeling them through my hands.
With each bake, I’ve eased further into the rhythm of making dough. I’ve even begun to memorise the recipes for a basic enriched dough and tangzhong method dough.
That’s not to say that these next 3 recipes were a walk in the park. Far from it! On the page they may look simple, and in many ways they are, but each one is a balance of parts you need to be ready for. From praline to custard to raspberry and hibiscus jam, each component is made from scratch.
And it’s these details that transform a bun from ordinary to extraordinary.
Here’s how Cook the Books works: I’ll be baking a handful of recipes, split across two posts. I make the recipes, shoot some (hopefully) aesthetic photos, and share my thoughts on how they turned out.
Right, let’s get started shall we!
School Buns (p.132)
The skoleboller, or school bun, is a Norwegian classic. They are a soft, enriched roll filled with vanilla custard, topped with icing and then dipped in toasted desiccated coconut. Traditionally, they’re tucked into lunchboxes or handed out at school, which makes me wish that I went to school in Norway.
When I were a lad… my own school lunches were a little less glamorous. We got cartons of milk at break time (no matter your age), and lunchtime desserts came in the form of things like semolina and rusks, or volcanic looking jammy rock cakes. A far cry from these custard crowned beauties.
(Although, my aunty was the school cook - so I was always lucky to get, and gladly took, second helpings!)
The dough itself is made with the tangzhong method, which gives the buns their pillowy softness. The real challenge here wasn’t the recipe though, but my oven - which decided to take the day off just as the dough was proving.
As I went to preheat, I realised nothing was happening. Not one to waste good dough, and after a slight panic, I had a thought… could I bake the buns in the air fryer instead? Spoiler alert - no!
I have since learned that for something as delicate as buns, the element sits far too close and the heat is much too harsh. Causing them to rise drastically and almost burst out of themselves.
Thankfully, our electrician was able to stop by the next morning to coax the oven back to life. So, take two: I made another batch of custard and dough, and this time the buns baked up exactly as they were meant to.
Finishing them is fun and worth doing with care. Once the buns are cool, you spread a generous layer of icing across the top with a palette knife - just enough to coat the top hemisphere, being careful not to disturb the custard.
Then, holding the bun gently towards you, roll the iced edge through a bowl of toasted desiccated coconut until every side is coated. You may need to bunch up some of the coconut on the plate with your fingers to cover the icing closer to the top of the bun.
Second helpings or not, these are buns I’d happily queue up for in the playground.
Raspberry & Hibiscus Buns (p.124)
Last week I left the decision of what to bake for bake no.5 in your hands with a vote. And let me just say - you chose wisely!
The votes came in, raspberry and hibiscus took the crown and I couldn’t have been happier. Hibiscus is a flavour I’ve come to love, so I was secretly hoping this one would win.
This recipe starts with making a batch of raspberry and hibiscus jam, ready to be tucked into the buns later on. I had an abundance of dried hibiscus leaves so I decided to make my own powder. I first tried a coffee grinder as I had heard that would work, but nothing much was happening. So, I dug out the Nutribullet from the back of the cupboard and to my surprise, it worked a treat!
As some of you know, I first fell for hibiscus when I made Diana Henry’s poached pears, and this jam reminded me exactly why.
Shaping the dough into crescents, however, was a little more of a challenge. The instructions are simple enough - split the dough in half and roll out each into a disc. Cut each into 6 triangles, add a dollop of jam and then roll them up before curving them into little crescents.
Mine came out more like pudgy croissants than anything uniform. A skill that will come with practice, I’m sure.
Appearance aside, the flavour was spot on! Pillowy dough wrapped around jam that was sharp and sweet, with just a hint of floral. A bun I’d happily make again.
Reader’s choice, taste buds approved!
Praline & Double Espresso Buns (p.119)
My sixth and final bake from Buns - and a recipe that was recommended to me by
herself. I was warned it was a bit of a project, but honestly, I couldn’t think of a more fitting challenge to end on!That was until I spotted the words sugar, pan, heat… Oh dear, it seems my caramel PTSD is still going strong!
So you can imagine my relief, then, when this time I managed not to push the sugar so far it turned into something resembling an unearthed indestructible precious stone.
Put to one side to cool, I roasted the hazelnuts and then combined both in the Nutribullet that was still yet to be put away. It’s handier than I remember it being… perhaps it can live nearer the front of the cupboard from now on.
With the dough proofed, I knocked it back and rolled it into ten identical balls. This step has become something I really enjoy (I find it quite cathartic!). Covered once again with a damp towel, I left them for their second proof - a part of the process I used to wish would end quickly, but have now come to embrace.
Time for brew before in the oven they go.
Out of the oven in all their golden, spherical, doughy goodness - it was time to set to work on finishing the praline and espresso whipped cream.
They were definitely the most work of all the recipes I’ve baked so far, but also the most satisfying. Soft dough, nutty praline and that bitter-sweet espresso cream all came together in the end.
A bun that was worth the effort, and a very fitting way to round off my time with this book.
As I wrap up this edition of Cook the Books and look back on what I’ve made and how far I’ve come in just 2 short weeks, I can’t help but feel that I’m definitely on the right path. The path of food, and everything that it encompasses.
This book has taken me from a complete dough novice to someone who dares to think - I could actually open up my own micro bakery, and be damned proud at what I was offering.
Because they’re not just buns, are they. They’re comfort.
Buns promised “sweet and simple bakes”, and it more than lived up to that. It’s approachable, beautifully written - paired with phenomenal photography, and full of recipes that not only work but give you confidence.
A book I know I’ll keep reaching for time and time again.
See you next time,
Mark
POV you make me these school buns
What beauties - and every week your photography gets even better. Brilliant