Black Forest Buns
I was inspired by the famous Black Forest Gateau in devising this recipe: the dough is filled with layers of kirsch-laced cherry curd, then topped with an eye-catching pink kirschy cherry icing, chocolate shards, and fresh cherries. The timeless combination of cherries and chocolate, swirled through the soft dough, is quite simply delicious. Bake them for National Cherry Day on 16 July!
If you use cherry juice (a by-product from cooking cherries - see my cherry curd recipe), the juice will naturally colour the icing a gorgeous pink shade. Replicate this using food colouring if you don't have any cherry juice.
Makes about 16 buns. Best enjoyed fresh on the day of baking.
Ingredients
For the dough
For the filling
For the icing
For the topping (optional)
Equipment
1. If you're not using shop-bought curd, start by making the curd and letting it cool. Find my recipe here.
2. Then, make the dough. Rub 50g butter into the flour until it disappears. Add the yeast and sugar to the bowl.
3. Warm the milk for a few minutes in a saucepan (this doesn't take long; it should be warm NOT hot). Add the beaten egg to the milk, then pour it over the flour/yeast/sugar mix.
I was inspired by the famous Black Forest Gateau in devising this recipe: the dough is filled with layers of kirsch-laced cherry curd, then topped with an eye-catching pink kirschy cherry icing, chocolate shards, and fresh cherries. The timeless combination of cherries and chocolate, swirled through the soft dough, is quite simply delicious. Bake them for National Cherry Day on 16 July!
If you use cherry juice (a by-product from cooking cherries - see my cherry curd recipe), the juice will naturally colour the icing a gorgeous pink shade. Replicate this using food colouring if you don't have any cherry juice.
Makes about 16 buns. Best enjoyed fresh on the day of baking.
Ingredients
For the dough
- 50g butter
- 450g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 7g sachet fast action dried yeast
- 50g caster sugar
- 275g full fat or semi-skimmed milk (slightly warmed through)
- 1 egg, beaten
For the filling
- About ¾ of my cherry and kirsch curd OR one standard size jar (about 300g) of shop-bought cherry curd. Use any leftover curd spread on toast, sandwiched between Victoria sponge or drizzled over ice cream.
- 100g dark chocolate chips
For the icing
- 1 tbsp cherry juice (left over from cooking cherries for my cherry curd recipe. Alternatively, use 1 tbsp water and pink food colouring)
- 1 tbsp kirsch
- 150g icing sugar
For the topping (optional)
- Dark chocolate shavings/curls
- A handful of fresh cherries
Equipment
- Baking tray lined with baking parchment
1. If you're not using shop-bought curd, start by making the curd and letting it cool. Find my recipe here.
2. Then, make the dough. Rub 50g butter into the flour until it disappears. Add the yeast and sugar to the bowl.
3. Warm the milk for a few minutes in a saucepan (this doesn't take long; it should be warm NOT hot). Add the beaten egg to the milk, then pour it over the flour/yeast/sugar mix.
4. Mix well (I tend to use a large fork to help evenly distribute the ingredients), then tip it out onto a lightly dusted surface. Using your hands or a dough scraper (very cheap to buy), stretch and knead it for about 6 minutes until it becomes more elastic - it will be stretchy and soft.
5. Put it back into the bowl, cover it with a tea towel, and leave it in a warm place for about 1h30 until it's doubled in size (if there's any sunlight streaming in, I tend to place the bowl in its direct line). Meanwhile, prepare a baking tray - line it with baking parchment.
5. Put it back into the bowl, cover it with a tea towel, and leave it in a warm place for about 1h30 until it's doubled in size (if there's any sunlight streaming in, I tend to place the bowl in its direct line). Meanwhile, prepare a baking tray - line it with baking parchment.
6. When it's doubled in size, carefully tip it onto a floured surface and shape it into a rectangle about 30 x 40cm. I use a rolling pin and a little bit of hand stretching.
7. Spread the cooled cherry curd over the dough liberally. Then, sprinkle over the dark chocolate chips.
7. Spread the cooled cherry curd over the dough liberally. Then, sprinkle over the dark chocolate chips.
8. Roll the dough from the longest side. To achieve a good spiral, the first few rolls are crucial. Don't press too hard though - a light touch is important. Roll the dough up so you have a long cylindrical shape. To secure the long edge to the roll, use a little water.
9. Take a sharp knife and cut the dough at the middle point, to create two long cylinders. Cut into about 16 equal pieces.
10. Turn the pieces upright so their filling is on top. Place them onto the baking sheet slightly spaced apart (use two baking trays if needed) and, with a light touch, reshape them slightly. Top tip! Turn the seams inward facing so, as the buns expand during the final prove and in the oven, their seams are supported by the other buns. Make sure you place the buns near but not quite touching each other.
9. Take a sharp knife and cut the dough at the middle point, to create two long cylinders. Cut into about 16 equal pieces.
10. Turn the pieces upright so their filling is on top. Place them onto the baking sheet slightly spaced apart (use two baking trays if needed) and, with a light touch, reshape them slightly. Top tip! Turn the seams inward facing so, as the buns expand during the final prove and in the oven, their seams are supported by the other buns. Make sure you place the buns near but not quite touching each other.
11. Cover the buns with a tea towel for a final 30 minute prove (40 minutes if the room is a bit cold). Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4). The oven needs to have reached temperature when you put the buns in.
12. Bake the buns for about 25 minutes until golden. The middle buns can take a bit longer - you may want to place some foil over the outside buns during the final stage of cooking if you want the middle ones to brown up a bit more. Transfer to a cooling tray.
12. Bake the buns for about 25 minutes until golden. The middle buns can take a bit longer - you may want to place some foil over the outside buns during the final stage of cooking if you want the middle ones to brown up a bit more. Transfer to a cooling tray.
13. To make the icing, mix the cherry juice (or water and pink food colouring), kirsch and icing sugar. Use a knife or vegetable peeler to create the dark chocolate shards/curls (as many as you want).
14. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cooled buns. Use a piping bag for a neat finish, or drizzle it on using a fork for a more rustic finish.
15. Decorate with the chocolate shards and chopped fresh cherries.