Buchteln are sweet yeast rolls, usually filled with jam or ground poppy seeds and baked in a pan where they fit snugly, so that they stick together during proofing and baking. Buchteln can be eaten with a drizzle of vanilla sauce, sprinkle of icing sugar or just plain warm, straight out of the oven.
I like them dusted with icing sugar and very warm from the oven, as that is how we were served Buchteln as children, but by all means, do try them doused with vanilla sauce. Keep the sauce chilled, and serve it with piping hot Buchteln for the best effect.
Ingredients
For the dough
550 grams plain flour
200 ml warm milk
200 grams plain yoghurt
50 grams sugar
1 medium free-range egg
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons instant dried yeast
For the filling
100 grams jam
For the glaze
50 grams butter, melted
Preparation
Sift the flour twice and set it aside. Pour the milk into a saucepan and place it over medium high heat until it almost comes to a boil. You do not have to let it boil. Take a large bowl, pour in the yoghurt, add the egg, salt and sugar and whisk it really well. Remove the milk from the heat and slowly drizzle it in the yoghurt, whisking constantly. This is done so the egg doesn't scorch, in case the milk was heated a bit too much. Add the salt and about a third of the flour and mix it well. Add the yeast and a bit more flour and mix with a wooden spoon until a thick batter forms. Keep adding flour and mixing with a wooden spoon (or a sturdy spatula) until a soft dough forms. You should be left with about a cup of flour.
Take some of it and flour your work surface, then turn the dough out and knead it with your hands, adding the rest of the flour as you knead. Once a smooth and springy dough forms, place it into a clean large bowl, drizzle in the oil and turn the dough until it's coated on all sides. Wrap the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it into your fridge over night. Next morning, the dough should be soft and risen. Turn it out to a floured surface and gently knead it, just to let the heat of your hands bring its temperature up.
Divide it into 14 equal pieces (you can use kitchen scales if you want to make sure they are all equal), then flatten and stretch each part into a round shape, put about a teaspoon of jam in the centre, then fold it and close it up well, so the jam doesn’t leak out during the baking. Repeat this process until you use up all of the dough and all of the jam. Take a round baking pan (23 cm; 9"), and grease it and flour it well. Arrange the buchteln, cover them with a kitchen towel and let them rise for about an hour. Just before baking, brush them generously with melted butter. Bake them in a preheated oven, at 200˚C (400˚F), for 25-30 minutes. Let them cool slightly, then serve them with vanilla sauce or icing sugar.
