Belgian buns are soft, spiralled British bakery buns filled with currants, finished with lemon curd, icing and a glacé cherry. Their name suggests Belgium, but they are a familiar UK-style sweet bun; this version uses an enriched yeasted dough for a tender crumb and a bright, tangy centre.
Ingredients
- 3 cups strong white bread flour (375 g), plus a little extra for dusting
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar (25 g)
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast (7 g)
- ½ teaspoon fine salt (3 g)
- ⅔ cup whole milk (160 ml), warm but not hot
- ¼ cup warm water (60 ml)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (42 g), softened
- ¾ cup currants (110 g)
- ½ cup lemon curd (about 140 g), divided
- 1 cup icing sugar (120 g)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml), plus a little extra if needed
- 8 glacé cherries (about 65 g), halved if large
- 1 tablespoon milk (15 ml), for brushing
Instructions
- Mix the dough. Put the flour, caster sugar, instant yeast and salt in a large bowl, keeping the yeast and salt apart as you first combine the dry ingredients. Add the warm milk and water, then mix with a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms. The liquid should feel comfortably warm on your finger, not hot; very hot liquid can damage yeast.
- Knead until smooth. Add the softened butter in small pieces, working each piece into the dough before adding the next. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, or with a dough hook for about 6–8 minutes, until the dough feels elastic and only slightly tacky. Add flour sparingly if it is difficult to handle; too much extra flour can make the baked buns dry. The dough should spring back slowly when pressed.
- Let the dough rise. Shape it into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel or reusable cover and leave in a warm, draught-free place for about 60 minutes, until visibly puffy and roughly doubled. The exact time depends on room temperature, so look at the dough rather than relying only on the clock. A cool room may add 15–30 minutes.
- Prepare the tray and roll. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Tip the risen dough onto a lightly floured worktop and roll it into a rectangle about 12 by 10 inches (30 by 25 cm). Keep the rectangle reasonably even in thickness so the slices bake at the same rate. Brush the surface with the milk, leaving a small border along one long edge, then scatter the currants evenly over the dough.
- Shape the spirals. Starting at the opposite long edge, roll the dough up snugly into a log. Pinch the seam to seal it, then turn the log seam-side down. Use a sharp knife or unflavoured dental floss to cut it into 8 equal slices. Set each slice cut-side up on the lined tray, leaving about 1½ inches (4 cm) between buns. Tuck any loose currants back into the spirals.
- Proof the buns. Cover the tray loosely and leave the buns for about 35 minutes, until puffy and beginning to touch. While they rise, heat the oven to 375°F (190°C), or 350°F (180°C) fan. If you gently press a fingertip into a bun, the indentation should fill back slowly. If it springs straight back, give the buns a little longer; if it collapses, they have probably risen too far.
- Bake. Bake on the middle shelf for 16–18 minutes, turning the tray once if your oven browns unevenly. The buns should be golden on top and cooked through where the spiral is thickest. If they colour quickly, loosely cover them with foil for the final few minutes. Transfer the tray to a rack and let the buns cool for about 25 minutes before icing, so the lemon curd and glaze do not melt away.
- Add the lemon curd and icing. Stir the icing sugar with the lemon juice until smooth and thick but just pourable; add more juice a few drops at a time if it is too stiff, or a spoonful of icing sugar if it is too runny. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the remaining lemon curd into the centre of each spiral. Drizzle or spoon icing over each bun, keeping the curd visible, and set a glacé cherry on top. Leave for 10–15 minutes for the icing to set before serving.
Tips
- Measure flour carefully. Weighing the flour gives the most dependable dough. If using cups, spoon flour loosely into the cup and level it; scooping directly from the bag can pack in extra flour and leave the buns dense.
- Use currants or a close substitute. Currants give the small, classic fruit pieces associated with this bun. Raisins or sultanas work in the same quantity, though they make a sweeter, chunkier filling. Chop larger dried fruit so it does not pull out of the dough when you roll it.
- Keep the curd for the centre. Putting lemon curd inside the rolled dough can make the layers slippery and cause filling to leak onto the tray. A small spoonful in the centre after baking gives a clear citrus flavour and keeps the spiral neat. Use a thick shop-bought or homemade curd, not a thin lemon sauce.
- Do not rush the rise. Yeast dough rises more slowly in a cool kitchen. Give it extra time rather than placing it in a very hot spot, which can soften the butter unevenly and overheat the dough. If the buns are still tight and small after the second rise, wait a little longer before baking.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Belgian buns at room temperature with tea or coffee, when the icing has set and the currant-filled layers are easy to pull apart. They make a sweet breakfast or afternoon snack, and one bun is usually substantial enough to serve on its own. For a fuller tea-time spread, pair them with plain scones, fresh fruit or a simple sandwich, rather than adding several other heavily iced pastries.
If you like a stronger lemon note, offer a little extra lemon curd at the table instead of increasing the filling inside the dough. The buns are also pleasant slightly warm, but warm them gently and avoid heating them after icing if you want the glaze to stay neat. For a bake sale or brunch, arrange them on a platter once the icing is fully set so the tops do not stick together.
Variations
Raisin or sultana buns: Replace the currants with the same weight of raisins or sultanas. These fruits are larger and sweeter, so chop them roughly if they are especially big. A mixture of currants and sultanas gives a varied texture without changing the method.
Orange version: Use orange curd in place of lemon curd and stir a teaspoon of finely grated orange zest into the icing. Orange is sweeter and less sharp than lemon, so taste the glaze and add a few drops of lemon juice if you want to bring back some tang.
Spiced dough: Add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (about 1 g) to the flour for a gently spiced bun. A small pinch of mixed spice is another option. Keep the amount modest so the spice complements rather than hides the citrus filling.
No glacé cherries: Leave the cherries off, or decorate each bun with a little extra lemon zest after icing. The cherry is a familiar bakery finish, but it is not essential to the dough or flavour. If using another dried fruit as a topping, add it while the icing is still wet so it stays in place.
Storage and Reheating
Let the icing set completely, then store the buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Because the lemon curd is used as a topping, keep the buns away from heat and direct sun; if your kitchen is very warm, refrigerate them instead. Refrigerate within 2 hours of baking, and keep refrigerated buns for up to 3 days. The icing may become slightly damp in the fridge, but the buns remain suitable to eat if handled and stored properly.
To freeze, place the cooled, uniced buns in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–7 minutes if you prefer them warm. Add fresh lemon curd and icing after reheating. If reheating buns that have already been iced, use a low oven briefly and expect the glaze to soften. Do not leave curd-topped buns out for more than 2 hours before refrigerating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Belgian buns actually from Belgium?
They are a familiar British bakery bun, despite the name. A definitive origin is not well established, so it is safer to describe them as a UK bakery-style sweet bun rather than claim a specific Belgian birthplace. Recipes vary: currants, lemon curd, icing and a cherry are common, but the details are not fixed.
Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?
Yes. Use the same weight, about 7 g, and stir it into the warm milk and water with a pinch of the measured sugar. Leave it for 5–10 minutes until it looks foamy, then add it to the dry ingredients. If it does not foam, the yeast may be inactive or the liquid may have been too hot or too cool.
Can I make the dough the night before?
Yes. After kneading, put the dough in a covered, lightly greased bowl and refrigerate it overnight, for about 8–12 hours. The next day, let it stand until easier to roll, shape the buns and allow the second rise to finish; this may take longer if the dough is still cold. Do not leave dough containing milk at room temperature overnight.
Why did my buns turn out dense?
Common causes are too much flour, insufficient kneading or not allowing enough time for the two rises. The finished dough should be soft and elastic, not stiff. For the first rise, look for a substantial increase in volume; for the second, wait until the shaped buns look puffy. Measuring flour by weight helps avoid a dry dough.
Can I make Belgian buns without lemon curd?
Yes. Leave the centre plain and use a little extra lemon juice in the icing, or fill the cooled centres with a thick orange curd. Jam can be used, but it is often sweeter and looser than curd, so add only a small amount just before serving to reduce the chance of it running over the icing.
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