Camilla Wynne: Buchty with Pur Cassis (a.k.a. Czech buns with black currant jam)
Camilla Wynne, master food preserver, and award-winning cookbook author of Nature's Candy shares her grandmother's buttery Czech buns with black currant jam, a family heirloom, lost then found.
I have a treat for you today, literally. I’ll be sharing a story and sweet recipe from Camilla Wynne.
Camilla, a Toronto-based award-winning cookbook author, recipe developer, pastry chef, teacher, and Master Food Preserver, shares her grandmother’s once-thought-lost recipe for Buchty (also known as Czech buns) with Pur Cassis (black currant jam).
Growing up, Camilla adored her paternal grandmother’s Buchty. Her grandmother was an exceptional baker who could “whip up a layered dacquoise that looked like it came from a Viennese bakery with just a fork.”
Her grandmother’s dough was rich, often filled with her beloved black currant jam, and had a nearly donut-like texture due to the butter she lavished on the raised buns before they went into the oven.
After her grandmother passed, Camilla felt a deep sense of loss, thinking she would never have the cherished recipe. For years, she believed it was gone. Then, one day, while going through a pile of inherited clippings, she was overjoyed to find her grandmother’s handwritten recipe. Camilla shares this special dish with us today.
Check out Camilla’s books: Nature’s Candy, the definitive cookbook for candying fruit and baking with it, and Jam, a preserving and baking book packed full of delicious jams and indulgent desserts.
Buchty (Czech Buns with Black Currant Jam)
Makes 16 buns
Ingredients
250 mL (1 cup) whole milk, divided
1 envelope active dry yeast
50 g (¼ cup) + 1½ tsp sugar, divided, plus more for serving
115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter
¼ tsp kosher salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
Zest of ½ a lemon
350 g (2½ cups) all-purpose flour
½ cup black currant jam
115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted (for topping)
Instructions
Warm 60 mL (¼ cup) of milk in a small saucepan or the microwave until just warm.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the warmed milk, yeast, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining milk, sugar, butter, and salt. Stir until butter is melted. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm.
Add the yeast mixture and mix on low to combine. Add egg, lemon zest, and flour. Mix on medium-low until dough is shiny and pliable, 10–15 minutes. If it's sticky, gradually add up to 70g (½ cup) more flour.
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and a tea towel, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. (Or refrigerate overnight and bring to room temp before proceeding.)
Grease an 8-inch square baking pan with butter.
Punch down dough and turn onto a floured surface. Pat into a 12-inch square and cut into 16 squares.
Place ½ tbsp jam in the center of each. Fold dough over filling to form a ball. Arrange the seams side up in the pan in four rows of four. Cover with buttered plastic and a tea towel. Let rise for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
Pour melted butter evenly over risen dough. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown.
Let it cool briefly in the pan, then turn it out onto a rack and sprinkle with sugar.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Best the day they’re made. To reheat the next day, wrap it in foil and warm in a 300°F oven for 10– 15 minutes.
Pur Cassis (Black Currant Jam)
From Preservation Society Home Preserves by Camilla Wynne
Makes five 250 mL (half-pint) jars
Ingredients
1.2 kg (2.7 lbs) black currants (fresh or frozen)
600 g (3 cups) sugar
60 g (¼ cup) lemon juice
Instructions
In a large preserving pot, combine currants, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often.
As soon as it boils, transfer to a heatproof bowl. Press a round of parchment onto the surface and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 250°F and sterilize jars by heating for at least 20 minutes. Have new lids ready.
Return the mixture to the pot and boil vigorously, stirring frequently, until it has set.
Tip: When bubbles sputter violently and froth subsides, test for doneness by placing a spoonful on a frozen plate. After 2 minutes, it should form a skin that wrinkles when prodded.Remove from the heat and ladle into a heatproof jug. Pour into prepared jars, leaving headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids, and seal them tightly. Invert jars for 1–2 minutes.
Cool 24 hours. Check seals before storing in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
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