Beetroot Buns

Beetroot is a great addition to buns or breads in general. Its slightly sweet aftertaste just fits perfectly here as it is not sweet-overwhelming and a savoury filling just calls for these cute pliable small round pinkish buns. Our fave? Butter and smoked salmon with a few tufts of fennel leaves.

Makes 6 to 8 buns, Preparation 15 min + 2 hrs rising, Cooking about 25 mins

2 pre-cooked beetroots
80 ml whole milk, lukewarm
200 g strong white bread flour + 50 g durum wheat semolina flour
1 teaspoon of fine salt
20 g caster sugar for the dough + a level teaspoon to dissolve the yeast
5 g active dry brewer’s yeast, to dissolve in a glass of lukewarm water
1 free-range egg
150 g unsalted soft butter
sesame seeds, to taste

Method

Blend the pre-cooked beet until pureed.

Sift the flours together in a bowl, add the lukewarm water with the previously dissolved yeast, then the beet mixture and mix. Now add the soft cubed butter, 20 g sugar, pour in the lukewarm milk a little at a time while stirring and add the salt. Now knead with your hands until the dough is soft and does not stick to your hands.

Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel.

Let it rise in a warm place for 2 hours or until it has doubled in size.

Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly to form small loaves of equal size.
Place them spaced out on a baking tray lined with baking paper and let them rise another 20 minutes covered with a kitchen towel. Brush with beaten egg, add sesame seeds to taste.

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400F / Gas 6, bake for 10 minutes in static mode, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C / 350F / Gas 4 for a further 10 or 15 minutes, until slightly darker in colour. Allow to cool and fill as desired.