bbd #28: Sugar-Coated Apricot Buns

-=========	REZKONV-Recipe – RezkonvSuite v1.4
Title:	Sugar-Coated Apricot Buns (Original: Gibassier)
Categories:	Bread, Rolls, Pastry
Yield:	16 Buns

Ingredients

H			SPONGE
140	grams		Milk, luke warm
1/4	teasp.		Malt sirup
135	grams		Bread flour
1	pack		Instant yeast
H			FINAL DOUGH
			Sponge
145	grams		Eggs
80	grams		Olive oil
3			Oranges: grated zest (Original: 21 g)
485	grams		Bread flour
125	grams		Sugar
11	grams		Salt
90	grams		Butter; soft
3/4	teasp.		Ground cardamom (Original: 2 El anise seed)
100	grams		Dried apricots; minced (Original: candied orange
			-peel; chopped)
H			GARNISHES
			Egg wash
			Melted butter
			Vanilla sugar

Source

	adapted from
	Eric W. Kastel
	Artisan Breads at Home
	The Culinary Institute of America

	Edited *RK* 03/15/2010 by
	Petra Holzapfel

Directions

TO MAKE THE SPONGE, combine the milk and malt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the flour with the yeast, then add this mixture to the milk. Mix the sponge together by hand for 2 minutes to develop some gluten structure and ensure that all the ingredients are combined into a homogenous mass. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the sponge to ferment in a warm area for 30 minutes, until double in size.

TO MAKE THE FINAL DOUGH, put the sponge, eggs, oil and zest in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix for 1 minute on low speed to break up the sponge. Add the flour, cardamom, sugar and salt. Mix for 6 minutes on low speed, making sure to scrape down and flip the dough over twice during the mixing time. Increase the speed to high and mix for an additional 2 minutes (the dough cleared the walls of the bowl). On medium speed, add the soft butter in flakes. Mix the dough until the butter is fully
incorporated, for about 3 additional minutes. The dough should have developed full gluten structure. Add the apricots and mix on low for 30 seconds to combine. Scrape down and flip the dough over, then mix for an additional 30 seconds. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl large enough for it to double in size and cover with plastic wrap.

ALLOW the dough to rest and ferment in a warm place for 60 minutes (this took about 3 1/2 hours), until when touched lightly the dough springs back halfway (the dough now looked quite fatty-shining).

PLACE the dough on a work surface and divide it into 75-80 g-pieces. Round each piece against the tabletop, then cover the pieces and allow them to rest on the table for 10 minutes.

SHAPE each piece into a 6-inch oblong. Using a sharp blade make 4 widthwise cuts in the center of each piece. Place the pieces of dough on two baking trays lined with parchment paper.

BRUSH the pieces of dough with egg wash and lightly cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest and ferment in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, until when touched lightly the dough springs back halfway. (again this took much longer. I placed one of the trays overnight in the cold cellar. In the morning I let it rise 2 1/4 hours at room temperature before baking).

PREHEAT the oven to 205°C (400°F).

BRUSH each piece again with egg wash, place the tray in the oven, and immediately reduce the temperature to 190°C (375°F). Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the trays and lower the temperature to 175°C (350°F). Bake for an additional 3-5 minutes, until golden brown.

TAKE the bread out of the oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes on racks, then brush each piece with melted butter and roll the top in vanilla sugar. Allow the gibassiers to cool on racks over baking trays.

Note Petra: If you want to freeze the buns, let them cool after baking and put them in plastic sacks into the freezer. Reheat them in the oven (175°C), brush them with butter and roll in vanilla sugar.

Checking my french baking books I think these buns differ from the original Gibassié from Provence which is a kind of „Pompe à l’huile“ (see thirteen desserts for Christmas).

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