From November until New Year’s Day, I almost expect everywhere I go to be filled with the aroma of pine needles, wood burning and something delicious baking. That’s where these sweet jam buns come into play. I can’t think of anything more perfect to enjoy on a holiday morning than jam or cinnamon buns. It was my first time making buns and Julia Turshen’s recipe from the Small Victories cookbook (my favorite cookbook of 2016) made it seamless. From kneading to rolling, it was extremely easy to follow and as I pulled the buns out of the oven, it very much felt like a personal triumph.
I’ve long been intimidated by any recipe involving yeast or kneading. It wasn’t based in anything, I’d just never done it before and would mentally and literally turn the page each time a recipe included phrases like “active yeast” or “let rise for an hour.”. But once I got over that roadblock, I found there to be something meditative about working the dough with a wooden spoon and then kneading it into a soft shape. And my favorite part: Covering it with a kitchen towel and revealing its doubled size after just 60 minutes.
The filling options are endless with this delectable dough, that’s what makes it so special. For the sweet rendition, I used my mother’s homemade strawberry jam. While for the savory version, I made garlic buns with lots of butter and parsley. I tried this recipe via kneading and with the bread hook on my kitchen aid mixer. But kneading is definitely more fun as it’s therapeutic to pull the dough forward and then back, and repeat for 5 minutes or longer.
JAM BUNS from Small Victories by Julia Turshen
INGREDIENTS
For the dough:
¾ cup whole milk
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (one packet)
1 egg
3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
For the jam filling:
⅔ cup fruit jam
For the creme fraiche icing:
¼ cup powdered sugar
½ cup creme fraiche
½ tsp vanilla extract
To start, warm the milk in the microwave for about 30 seconds (or warm in small saucepan). Then pour warm milk into a large bowl and stir in the yeast (use the entire packet, make sure you get it all out). Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes–it should look dissolved and cloudy with a few bubbles on the surface.
In a small bowl, beat the one egg and add to the milk-yeast mixture. Then add the flour, granulated sugar, salt and room temperature butter. Mix it all together with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough looks dry, add one tablespoon at a time until it pulls away. If it doesn’t pull away, add more flour. Trust your instincts here, it should all easily come together. Transfer dough to a floured surface and shape into a large ball.
Here comes the kneading part: Start by pressing the dough with the heel of your hand, then pushing it away from you. Then immediately pull it back and fold the top of the dough back on itself. Turn clockwise and continue this push-and-pull motion for about 5 minutes. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let sit in a warm draft-free spot for an hour. Dough will double in size.
Once doubled, return the dough to the floured surface (add more flour too) and use a floured rolling pin to roll it into a large ovalish rectangle–about 18 inches long and 12 inches wide. Spread the surface evenly with jam (or whatever filling you’re using). Leave a half inch border. Starting from the long side, roll the dough up tightly and cut into 12 slices.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the buns with spiraled jam side up in rows (facing inward) and slightly touching. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise to room temperature for an hour–until they are soft and puffy. To plan ahead, you can let them rise for 30 minutes, refrigerate overnight and let them come to room temperature for about hour before proceeding.
When you’re ready to bake them, preheat your oven to 350°F. Crack an egg into a small bowl and whisk with a tablespoon of water. Brush the buns with the wash. Bake until they’re browned and the jam is caramelized–about 25-30 minutes.
Make your icing by whisking together the powdered sugar, creme fraiche and vanilla. Once the buns are out of the oven, drizzle with the icing and serve immediately. Enjoy!
