Sometimes, it’s simply time for happiness… again!
When I visited our Czech family house over the Feast of Corpus Christi Holidays lass week-end, it became a baking marathon all of a sudden. Not planned – it just happened.
It felt like I was at my grandmother’s home when I stood in paní Martincová’s kitchen watching her set up, work and process traditional yeast dough for ‘buchty’, Czech buns filled with diverese sweet fillings. Mrs. Martincová is our wonderful neighbour who turned 80 end of May. She is such a lovely, corteous person with the warmest and most peaceful heart. She showed me step by step how to create this delicious piece of my childhood with my own hands.
I can’t tell you the exact amounts for this recipe because as old school does it – everything is made simply “by the eye”. Meaning, you would never weight anything, all amounts need to be just ‘reasonable’! Sometimes more, sometimes less.
Yeast Dough – an approximate asset for about two dozen ‘buchty’
- 500 gr flour
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 eggyolk
- 400 ml milk – it can be more or less
- 1 yeats – one whole cube
- 150 gr fat – mix of grease, margarine and vegetable oil
- Butter – melted
- Powder sugar
- Sweet filling of your choice
1// Place the flour with a pinch of salt and the sugar into a big bowl, make a little mould in the middle, add about half of lukewarm milk and the rest of all ingredients and leave until the yeast starts to work.
2// Process all ingredients by hand with a wooden spoon by adding more milk until the dough becomes firm starting to have a nice soft surface. Then, let the dough rest for some time until it rises by its double volume.
3// To shape the buns, take a spoon and cut out small pieces from the dough which then need to be worked by hand into soft balls.
4// Flaten the balls with your finger tipps, place the filling of your choice in the middle and finally put together all corners until the dough closes properly.
5// Place all buns in a baking dish, brush with melted butter and bake until golden brown. Brush with melted butter again and let cool before sprincle with powder sugar.
Since Mrs. Martincová’s old oven has only three heating steps (1-2-3), I can’t tell you the exact temerature. It all depends on your own oven. From other baking experience, you should make sure to preheat at approx. 200-220°C and then bake at around 180-200°C for about 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.
I wish you good luck and loads of joy while spending time with baking Czech ‘buchty’…
And please, share your experience and tell me how it went!
SMALL KITCHEN . FAB CREATIONS 