Helen Goh’s recipe for blackcurrant and vanilla finger buns
Soft, feather-light and topped with a thick strip of icing: few things are as irresistible to me as an iced finger bun.
- 270ml whole milk
- 7g dried instant yeast
- 400g strong white bread flour plus extra for dusting
- 50g caster sugar
- 1 large egg lightly whisked
- 0.75tsp fine sea salt
- 1tsp vanilla paste
- 60g unsalted butter cut into small cubes and softened, plus a little extra for greasing
- 70g blackcurrant (or other) jam
- 180g icing sugar sifted
- 2tsp lemon juice
- 1tiny pinch fine sea salt
- 1-2tsp hot water as needed
- Pour the milk into a small saucepan and heat gently until just lukewarm.
- Measure 140 ml into the bowl of a stand mixer, stir in the yeast and leave until bubbly.
- Meanwhile, whisk the remaining milk in the pan with 25 g of the flour, then cook, whisking constantly, on a medium heat for about five minutes, until it thickens into a smooth paste.
- Set aside to cool until just warm.
- Whisk the milk and yeast mix, then add the remaining 375 g flour, the sugar, egg, salt, vanilla and the cooled milk/flour mix.
- Attach the dough hook and mix on low speed for about three minutes, until it turns into a rough dough.
- Turn up the speed to medium, add the butter a few cubes at a time and mix for eight to 10 minutes in total, scraping the base and sides of the bowl occasionally, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- The dough should start to pull away from the sides of the bowl while still feeling soft and slightly tacky.
- Transfer the dough to a large, lightly greased bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for one to two hours, until doubled in size.
- Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
- Turn out the dough on to a lightly floured work surface and weigh it.
- Divide the total by 12, then cut the dough into 12 equal 60 g pieces.
- Shape each one into a tight ball by pulling the edges into the centre and pinching to seal underneath.
- Put the balls seam-side down on your worktop and, using lightly cupped hands, roll until smooth.
- Gently roll each ball back and forth to form neat, 12 cm-long logs; if you like, taper the ends slightly.
- Arrange the buns on the lined tray, leaving about 3 cm between them (they'll expand and just meet as they bake, which helps keep the sides soft).
- Cover loosely and leave to prove for an hour, until risen and puffy.
- Heat the oven to 190C (170C fan)/375F/gas mark 5, then bake the buns for 15 minutes, rotating the tray once halfway, until lightly golden.
- Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the fondant.
- Warm the jam gently until loosened, then pass it through a fine sieve – you should have about 50 g. Whisk in the sifted icing sugar, lemon juice and salt, until smooth, then add just enough water to make a thick, spreadable fondant.
- Transfer to a shallow bowl wide enough to dip the buns into.
- Dip the top of each cooled bun into the fondant, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl, then put on a rack for the icing to set before serving.
Blackcurrant and vanilla finger buns
Prep 10 min Prove 2 hr+ Cook 1 hr 15 min Makes 12.
For the dough 270ml whole milk 7g dried instant yeast 400g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting.
, lightly whisked 50g caster sugar 1 large egg
tsp fine sea salt 1 tsp vanilla paste 60g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and softened, plus a little extra for greasing
For the blackcurrant fondant 70g blackcurrant (or other) jam 180g icing sugar, sifted.
Pour the milk into a small saucepan and heat gently until just lukewarm. Measure 140ml into the bowl of a stand mixer, stir in the yeast and leave until bubbly.
Meanwhile, whisk the remaining milk in the pan with 25g of the flour, then cook, whisking constantly, on a medium heat for about five minutes, until it thickens into a smooth paste. Set aside to cool until just warm.
Arrange the buns on the lined tray, leaving about 3cm between them (they’ll expand and just meet as they bake, which helps keep the sides soft). Cover loosely and leave to prove for an hour, until risen and puffy.
Heat the oven to 190C (170C fan)/375F/gas 5, then bake the buns for 15 minutes, rotating the tray once halfway, until lightly golden. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
