Raisin-Spice Buns

These little raisin buns are a regional specialty from northern Germany. The spice used is ground cardamom. According to the author, historically the buns were doused with hot milk and served with spoons. 

Instead of dividing the dough to make small buns, the dough is rolled out and small rounds are stamped out using a cookie cutter, similar to making a cut-out scone.

The little rounds are then left to rise on baking trays. Brush with egg wash ; whisk egg yolk and milk together, then brush it thinly over the tops of the risen buns. This would give the lovely deep bronze colour on the buns when fully baked.

Freshly baked with deep bronzed top.

Soft, light interior and crisp top crust. Lovely buns, great with either coffee or tea. Makes a nice breakfast and tea-time snack.

Raisin-Spice Buns (Heisswecken)
(Classic German Baking, Luisa Weiss)
Dough :
4 cups, scooped and leveled/500gm all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
1-1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon/80gm granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup/120ml whole milk
2 eggs, at room temperature
7 tablespoons/100gm unsalted high-fat, European-style butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup/75gm raisins or dried currants
1/3 cup/50gm chopped candied citron peel (I have omitted this)

Egg Wash :
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon while milk

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. To make the dough : Place the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and cardamom in a large bowl. Add the milk, eggs, and butter, cut into rough chunks. Knead together by hand for a minute or two in the bowl, and then dump out on a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and no longer sticky, about 5 minutes. Pat out the dough slightly. Place the raisins and citron peel on top; fold the dough around them and knead until everything has been well distributed. Form the dough into a ball and place in the large bowl. Cover with a clean dishcloth and set in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1 hour.
3. After 1 hour, gently tug the risen dough out of the bowl and onto your work surface. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is 1/2 inch/12mm thick. Using a 2.5-inch/6cm round biscuit cutter, cut out rounds of dough and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1/2 inch/12mm between the buns. Knead together the scraps, roll out again, and stamp out the remaining buns.
4. Preheat the oven to 400F/200C. Cover the buns with the dishcloth and let rise for 20 minutes.
5. To make the egg wash : Whisk together the egg yolk and milk and then brush it thinly over the tops of the risen buns.
6. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. The buns will be deeply bronzed on top.
7. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool on a rack for 10 minutes before removing the buns from the baking sheet. Serve warm or at room temperature. The buns are best the day they are made, but will keep at room temperature for 1 day.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #32 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray
Theme for August 2018 : Cooking With Spice!