Before the issue of childhood obesity and before the day of the sugar police making their way into Australian schools, you could get some damn good stuff at the school canteen. Now granted, I do think it's a good idea to somewhat regulate what's offered at the school canteen and ensure that healthy food is a priority. But I can't help but wonder what kids in the future will look back on with nostalgia.
What I remember about my school canteen is the finger bun. Every week with my pocket money in tow I would have the pleasure of deciding on a treat. For me nothing could beat the finger bun. Sitting there all glazed up with the pretty pink icing, there was never really any competition.
From time to time, I'll see these at a cafe or bakery and just the sight of them reminds me of childhood. So when I was recently flicking through a new magazine and came across a recipe for finger buns, I knew I had to make them.
These do take a while to make but like most baking, the end is definitely worth the means. What you end up with are deliciously spiced and sweetly glazed buns. I served these for afternoon tea on the day I baked them to Mr Shady Pine and a friend who were working hard on a landscaping project at The Shady Pine. Four finger buns later, I gathered they enjoyed them! While I really loved having one with my coffee, what I really enjoyed was making these and seeing the end result. The school memories made it all the better.
Finger buns
Makes 12
Recipe adapted from Super Food Ideas magazine, March 2012 issue, Recipe by Kim Coverdale
Ingredients:
7g sachet yeast
1/3 cup raw caster sugar
½ cup milk, warm
2 ½ cups baker’s plain flour
1 tsp mixed spice
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g butter, chopped
1 egg
½ cup sultanas
¼ cup warm water
Extra milk for brushing
Hundreds and thousands and desiccated coconut to decorate
Pink icing:
1 ½ cups icing sugar mixture
10g melted butter
2 Tbs hot water
Few drops of pink food colour
1. Place yeast, sugar and milk into a bowl and mix well. Rest for 10 minutes or until the mixture start to bubble.
2. In a large mixing bowl add the flour, spices and butter. Rub in butter until breadcrumbs are formed.
3. To the flour add the yeast mixture, ¼ cup warm water, egg, sultanas and vanilla. Mix well. Cover and leave to rest in a warm place for an hour or until the dough is doubled in size.
4. Preheat oven to 200C. Prepare two baking trays.
5. Remove the dough from the bowl onto a floured surface. Knead for 8-10 minutes. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and shape each into a log about 12-14cm long. Place logs onto baking trays. Cover and rest for another 15 minutes.
6. Brush the buns with milk and bake for 12 – 15 minutes until golden brown.
7. Place cooked buns on a cake rack to cool.
8. Place all the icing ingredients into a mixing bowl. Mix well until a smooth icing is formed.
9. Spread icing over each finger bun and decorate using the hundreds and thousands and desiccated coconut.
10. Serve as is or cut in half lengthways and spread with butter.
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12 comments:
So pretty in pink! My husband loves these, I think I'll have to give them a try.
Bring back the finger bun! I remember being at school and going to the canteen and asking for a finger bun. But the buns back then smelt so much better and were full of raisins and currants and spices. The ones you see these days like the ones at Bakers Delight are a poor copy. Anna, yours look very yummy indeed. What a great idea to make your own - now you can pack them in your child's lunch box! xx
These are so pretty, they'd be my choice too! The icing alone would catch my eye, but the yeast dough and spices sound delicious.
Just the right shade of pink too. I could be doing with one of these at about 10 - do you deliver?
These pictures put a smile on my face this morning-they are so cute and pink! And yes I remember my high school canteen was a healthy one so there wasn't anything fun or fabulous like this! :P
I so do remember the finger buns at school. I never had much money to spend but these were always at the top of the list. My other friends liked pineapple doughnuts, remember that abomination? . Your buns look delicious and my teenager would devour them
Love the frosting and sprinkles!
This is exactly the type of recipe I was looking for to make for my friends who will be visiting this weekend. So, thanks for the recipe and I'm anxious to make it!
These look so pretty and I am sure they also taste delicious! I too think that depriving children of all things sweet (and treats in general) can be risky... they'll only want to eat more! ;-)
The icing on those buns looks so inviting and pretty!
Would love to taste them.
I know what you mean. My children hate school lunches and I am sad that they will never know the whole school canteen nostalgia. I look back on all the puddings and tarts I devoured at my school in England. I still have such fond memories of school dinners and the lunch ladies! We never had finger buns though...must be an Aussie thing. I am sure I would like them and will have to make some soon.
These look awesome, takes me way back to my childhood and jumping up and down in the bakers "Mummmmm I want one"
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