Belgian Bun Recipe

Since my eldest was able to talk he’s always had a favourite cake which we indulge in when in town at the bakers – a Belgium Bun or as he likes to call them Cherry on the Top Cakes (not to be confused with Cherry Bakewells which are also Cherry on the Top Cakes!). For months, I’ve searched the internet and my many recipes books (I may have mentioned my cookbook obsession before!) and I’ve found a couple of recipes but when we tried them they really didn’t have the same taste as the store brought Belgium Buns so I got creative in the kitchen and have come up with THE BEST Belgian Bun Recipe according to my family as they taste better than the bakers and the store so here goes.

Ingredients

I have included affiliate links to ingredients and products I recommend when making this recipe.

90ml of milk

1 teaspoon of Active Dry Yeast

Pinch of Sugar (if kneading by hand, leave out if using a bread maker)

225g Strong White Flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

25g unsalted butter

50g Caster Sugar

1 medium egg

2 tablespoons of Lemon Curd

2 LARGE handfuls of raisins

3 tablespoons of icing sugar

Water

1 Glace Cherry per bun

Hand Made Recipe

For a bread maker recipe see below

Warm the milk to hand hot in the microwave (it took around 20 seconds) add a pinch of sugar and the fast acting yeast (I know you shouldn’t have to but it’s getting near winter here in the UK and to ensure that the dough rises it needs the yeast to be warmed) – leave this for around 20 minutes you will see the yeast working.

In a bowl mix the flour and salt. Cube up the butter and then rub in using your fingers to make a breadcrumb consistency.

Stir the sugar into the dry ingredients.

In the centre of the bowl make a depression and add the egg and the yeast/milk mix

Gradually mix in the flour from around the edge to make a soft dough – if it’s too dry then add some more milk to the mix but make sure it is at least room temperature.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for around 5 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic.

Put it in a clean bowl and cover with a dish towel for around 2 hours – make sure it’s in a warm location otherwise the dough will take much longer to double in size.

Once the dough has doubled in size knead again for approximately 2 minutes and then roll out.

Spread with the lemon curd and then sprinkle on the handfuls of raisins.

Roll up the dough to along the thick end similar to how you would roll a swiss roll and then cut into 9 or 12 small pieces.

Place on a greased baking tray and leave for the second rise for around 30 minutes again make sure it’s in a warm place.

Pre-heat the oven at 200C and bake the buns for 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown.

Make up a frosting with the icing sugar and water to a thick paste.

Remove the buns once cooked and place on a wire rack to cool down. Once they have cooled add the icing and place a cherry on the top.

These are best eaten within 2 days as they will go stale if left – although we have no fear of them being left here as I am now no longer allowed to buy Belgium Buns instead I’ve got a weekly request to make these for the weekend.

Bread Maker Version

Add the ingredients to the bread maker in the order recommended in your instruction guide or as follows – Flour, salt, sugar, melted butter, egg, warmed milk and yeast.

Put the mix on the dough cycle and leave to work.

Once the dough cycle has finished turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2 minutes and then roll out the dough.

Continue with the above instructions from “Spread with the lemon…..”

More Bread Machine Recipes for those with a sweet tooth over on 3 Boys and a Dog.

Shop this Recipe

Did you see our mixing bowl at the top in the first picture. It’s from my grandmother from around the 1930/40’s and when she died I begged my mum for it because of the memories associated with it from baking with her growing up. It’s Mason Cash mixing bowl and because it’s made from earthenware it’s ideal for making everything in from pastry to belgian buns. You can buy Mason Cash Bowls on Amazon and they are beautiful.

I invested recently in some new baking sheets and trays as our set had become very rusty with long-term use. I went for a non-stick set of baking trays in the hope that they would be easier to clean. So far they have proved fantastic with the Belgian buns I’ve made since buying them.

This was on my Christmas List last year a flour shaker it means that when I’m doing the rolling out and need to add some more flour to the surface I can just grab this instead of getting my hands into the flour container.

I was asked recently what bread machine I have, we have a Breville Custom Loaf. I love it and it’s used weekly for things like our Burger Buns, Bread at the weekend, Pizza Dough and of course these buns when my eldest demands them.