Bath Bun

Bath Buns

A traditional sweet, enriched bread from the city of Bath in Somerset, England. Bath buns are soft, round, and scented with lemon, currants, and topped with crushed sugar — a classic teatime treat that dates back to the 18th century.

Prep

30 min

Cook

18 min

Total

48 min

Serves

10

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) strong plain (bread) flour, plus extra for dusting
• •7 g (1 packet (about 2¼ tsp)) instant dried yeast, or 25 g fresh yeast
• •100 g (½ cup) caster sugar
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt
• •120 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• •240 ml (1 cup) whole milk, warmed to 38°C / 100°F
• •2 whole large eggs, lightly beaten, plus 1 extra for glazing
• •1 whole lemon, zest only, finely grated
• •100 g (⅔ cup) dried currants
• •30 g (2 tbsp) candied peel (mixed), finely chopped, optional but traditional
• •30 g (2 tbsp) coarse or nibbed sugar, for topping

Steps

1. 1 In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, caster sugar, and salt. Rub in the softened butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
2. 2 Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk, the 2 beaten eggs, and the lemon zest. Mix to a soft dough, adding a little extra flour if sticky.
3. 3 Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, soft, and elastic. Place in a lightly buttered bowl, cover with a damp tea towel, and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
4. 4 Tip the dough out, knock it back, and knead in the currants and candied peel (if using) until evenly distributed.
5. 5 Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces (about 100 g each) and shape each into a smooth round. Place on a buttered baking sheet, leaving space between each to expand. Cover loosely and prove for 30–40 minutes, until puffy.
6. 6 Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F (fan 180°C / 350°F). Lightly beat the remaining egg and brush the tops of the buns. Sprinkle generously with the coarse sugar.
7. 7 Bake for 15–18 minutes, until the buns are a deep golden brown on top and sound hollow when tapped underneath. The internal temperature should reach 90°C / 195°F in the centre of a bun.
8. 8 Transfer to a wire rack and cool slightly. Bath buns are best eaten warm on the day of baking, split and spread generously with butter.