Pumpkin buns
Prepare these cute pumpkin-shaped buns with the recipe from Cocina Abierta.
- 100 grams of roasted and mashed pumpkin
- 50 milliliters of condensed milk
- 375 grams of strong flour
- 50 grams of butter (at room temperature)
- 15 grams of fresh yeast
- 75 milliliters of water
- 7 grams of salt
- extra virgin olive oil
- 100 milliliters of milk
- 100 grams of sugar
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks
- Put the flour, egg, salt, pumpkin, and condensed milk in a large bowl and mix them briefly. Crumble the yeast, add it to the water, and dissolve it completely. Add this mixture to the bowl and mix again. Melt the butter in the microwave and knead it briefly until the flour is incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
- Remove the dough from the bowl, place it on the counter, and knead it until you have a smooth, homogeneous dough. Pour a teaspoon of oil into the bowl, place the dough inside, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise until it has doubled in volume (approximately 2 hours).
- Remove the dough from the bowl, shape it into a cylinder, and cut it into 10 portions. Round them off.
- Grease the trussing twine with oil to prevent sticking. Place three twine pieces in a star shape and put a small ball of dough in the center. Gather the ends of each twine and tie them loosely to create six wedges. Trim any excess twine and repeat with the remaining dough balls. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let them rise until doubled in size (1-1 1/2 hours). Spritz them lightly with water.
- With the oven preheated, bake the buns at 180°C (350°F) for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the buns from the oven and let them cool. Cut the strings with scissors, carefully remove them, and place the buns on a wire rack with a baking tray underneath.
- Put the milk and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool. Brush the buns with the mixture to give them a shine. Cut the cinnamon sticks into small pieces (to resemble pumpkin stems) and place one in the center of each bun. Serve and garnish with mint leaves.
If you're looking for Halloween recipes, or if you have a pumpkin and don't know what to do with it, this pumpkin bun idea from Joseba Arguiñano is perfect for you. They're ideal for breakfast or an afternoon snack and have a brioche-like texture, but instead of regular milk, they're made with condensed milk. With their adorable pumpkin shapes, they're wonderful with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, and pair beautifully with jams, peanut butter, and even cheese and ham.
The buns are heated in the oven for about 18 minutes, but you must take into account the resting time (autolysis) and fermentation of the dough, which lengthens the recipe to between 2 and a half-3 hours.
The perfect recipe for Halloween
The pumpkin is the undisputed symbol of Halloween, the famous All Hallows' Eve celebrated on October 31st. This Celtic tradition is now practically ingrained in our culture, and it's common for shops to fill up with pumpkin-shaped products, ghosts, bones, and other spooky motifs as soon as autumn arrives. Since pumpkin is also a seasonal vegetable, we're suggesting a fun and fluffy recipe to surprise everyone at home.
Other recipes that would go perfectly with your pumpkin buns are Halloween cookies or pumpkin pie. And if you'd like more ideas, here's a selection of Halloween recipes. Let's get cooking!
For the buns
For the shine
For decorating
Prepare the dough for your buns
Put the flour, egg, salt, pumpkin, and condensed milk in a large bowl and mix them briefly. Crumble the yeast, add it to the water, and dissolve it completely. Add this mixture to the bowl and mix again.
Melt the butter in the microwave and knead it briefly until the flour disappears. Cover the bowl with cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
