Viennese buns

Servings: 12 croissants
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Rising time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

For the dough:

• 400 g white flour

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 egg white

• 175 ml warm fresh milk

• 70 g melted butter

• A pinch of salt

• 60 g granulated sugar

• 1 vanilla

• Grated lemon or orange zest

• 1/4 fresh yeast cube or 1 tsp dry yeast

For the filling:

• Liquid chocolate (Nutella), poppy seed or walnut filling, rosehip jam — I used almond marzipan with chocolate and candied fruits

For sprinkling:

• 50 g seeds – sesame, poppy seeds, sliced almonds, or crystallized sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the dough, you can use a bread machine or knead it by hand in a bowl.

1. First, activate the yeast: put warm milk in a small cup, add 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of flour, and stir. Add the yeast, cover the cup with plastic wrap, and let it proof in a warm place. It takes about 10-15 minutes.

2. Once the yeast bubbles and rises, take a bowl or the bread machine’s container, combine the milk, egg yolk, melted butter, sugar, and stir well — a fork works fine. Add the flour, vanilla, salt, lemon or orange zest, and the activated yeast. Knead until smooth, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1.5 to 2 hours, until it doubles in size.

3. Take the dough out, divide into 12 equal parts. Lightly flour the surface and stretch each piece with your fingers into a soft elongated shape. You can also use a rolling pin.

4. For the filling, use nutella, almond marzipan broken into pieces, candied fruits, or jam.
Note: more liquid fillings tend to leak out during baking, so use your preferred filling.

5. Original Viennese buns are without filling. Roll each piece into a spiral, place 6 croissants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and let them proof for another 30 minutes covered with a dry towel in a warm place.

6. Before baking, lightly beat the egg white and brush it over the croissants. Sprinkle with seeds, sliced almonds, or sugar — or leave plain. The sprinkle makes them look more attractive.

7. Bake for about 15 minutes at 170°C (340°F) until golden brown.

Let cool and serve with cheese, jam, honey, or your favorite topping. Store in a box or plastic bag for up to 3 days.

Enjoy your these great Viennese treats!