Piot bread (soldier buns)
These soft, pull-apart bread buns are studded with lots of dried fruit, and are a popular snack in Antwerp, Belgium. They are very simple to make at home, and a great introduction to Belgian baking.
This recipe is taken from Dark Rye and Honey Cake: Festival baking from the heart of the Low Countries by Regula Ysewijn (Murdoch Books, £26). Photography by Regula Ysewijn
Ingredients
- 200g of raisins , or currants
- 130ml of water
- 500g of strong flour, plus extra for dusting
- 25g of caster sugar
- 75g of unsalted butter , or lard, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 7g of quick yeast
- 1 egg
- 150ml of whole milk
- 5g of sea salt
- 1 egg yolk , beaten with 1 tbsp milk for the egg wash
Method
Soak the raisins or currants in 2 tablespoons of the water for 1 hour, then drain
- 200g of raisins , or currants
- 30ml of water
Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar, butter and yeast in a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the egg and pour in the milk and start kneading. When completely absorbed, pour in the remaining water and knead for 5 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes
- 500g of strong flour, plus extra for dusting
- 25g of caster sugar
- 75g of unsalted butter , or lard, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 7g of quick yeast
- 1 egg
- 150ml of whole milk
- 100ml of water
Add the salt and knead for 10 minutes. Rest the dough, covered, for 30 minutes and then knead briefly
- 5g of sea salt
Finally add the soaked currants and raisins and knead carefully, or on slow speed, to mix in the fruit without crushing it. Cover the dough and set aside for 1 hour until it has doubled in size
Divide the dough into 16 portions and shape into long narrow finger buns of 16 x 2 cm. Place the buns close together on a baking tray lined with baking paper, with not too much space in between as they are supposed to stick together. Cover and set aside to rise again for 1 hour
Preheat the oven to 210°C/gas mark 7. Do not use the fan setting. Brush the top of the piot buns with the egg wash and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown
- 1 egg yolk , beaten with 1 tbsp milk for the egg wash
Cool on a wire rack
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Piot bread (soldier buns)
