Grandma's Buns

Ingredients

• 125 ml lukewarm milk
• 20 g yeast
• 30 g whole wheat sugar
• 250 g spelt flour Type 1050
• Salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 60 g Butter
• 3 tbsp ground almonds
• 1 vanilla pod
• powdered sugar (for dusting)
• 250 ml milk
• 1 vanilla pod
• 60 g whole wheat sugar

Instructions

1. 1.

   Warm half the milk to lukewarm and mix with yeast, a pinch of whole wheat sugar, and a little flour. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 15–20 minutes. Then combine with remaining milk, whole wheat sugar, flour, a pinch of salt, egg yolk, 50 g butter, and ground almonds into a smooth dough. Cover again and let rise for another 30 minutes.

2. 2.

   Shape the dough into a roll about 4–5 cm in diameter and cut it into slices roughly 3 cm thick. Place the slices close together in an oven‑proof dish (greased if needed) and cover to rise for 15 minutes.

3. 3.

   Warm the remaining butter and brush the buns with it. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C (180 °C fan, gas level 3) for 30 minutes until golden brown.

4. 4.

   Meanwhile, prepare the vanilla sauce: mix cornstarch with about 50 ml water. Pour the remaining milk into a pot and add the dissolved cornstarch. Stir constantly and bring to a quick boil, then reduce heat and simmer on low while stirring until thickened.

5. 5.

   Split the vanilla pod lengthwise, scrape out the seeds with a knife, and stir them into the sauce. Remove Grandma’s buns from the oven, break them apart, optionally dust with powdered sugar, and serve with vanilla sauce.