Old Fashioned Currant Buns – Old Fashioned Currant Buns are traditional bread buns which were very popular when I was growing up in the 1960’s
Made by Hand Method and Bread Machine Method
Who doesn’t love a sticky bun, as my late dad used to say. I mean sticky bun in the British sense, as in a yeast leavened sweet bun similar to a teacake or a hot cross bun.
Old Fashioned Currant Buns are a traditional bread bun that used to be very popular when I was growing up in the 1960’s, as well as when my parents were children too.
Often called “Tuppenny Buns” or “Penny Buns” from when they cost tuppence or a penny (in old money) these buns were made with just currants, hence being known as currant buns.
Famous literary mentions are in “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” by Beatrix Potter, where Peter’s mum (let’s call her Mrs Rabbit!)
“Then old Mrs Rabbit took a basket and her umbrella and went through the wood to the baker’s. She bought a loaf of brown bread and five currant buns”
I made a dozen currant buns yesterday, for the cake tin, and can report back that they were suitably sticky (with a lemon glaze) and delicious when eaten buttered with a cuppa.
Unlike teacakes, hot cross buns and other sweet yeast buns such as cinnamon buns and Chelsea buns, currant buns have no spices added to them.
The flavour comes from the dried fruit, and the taste of a fresh butter and milk enriched white bread bun, as well as a sticky glaze too.
Currant buns used to be very popular at local bakeries, where they sometimes had icing on them. A paper bag containing a couple of currant buns was a real treat, how times have changed.
Serve these buttered when warm from the oven, or toast them the next day, again with butter and a pot of tea, which is the perfect accompaniment for these sweet buns.
I hope you enjoy these as much as we do at Chez Lavender & Lovage; simple they may be, but they are delectable little buns which need reviving I think, enjoy! Karen
Culinary Notes:
- Eat these warm from the oven, or wait, if you can, for an hour or so until they are cool enough to toast them – cut through the middle, toast them until lightly golden and then slather the hot teacakes with butter
- Make a double batch and freeze them.
- Defrost and reheat in a warm oven, or toast them from frozen on the freezer toaster setting.
- For a citrus tang, make the glaze with icing sugar and lemon juice.
More Old Fashioned Sweet Buns
Step-by-Step Method Images
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Old Fashioned Currant Buns Recipe
Old Fashioned Currant Buns
Yield:
12
Prep Time:
2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time:
15 minutes
Total Time:
2 hours 45 minutes
Old Fashioned Currant Buns are a traditional bread bun that used to be very popular when I was growing up in the 1960’s, as well as when my parents were children too.
And, doesn’t love a sticky bun, as my late dad used to say. I mean sticky bun in the British sense, as in a yeast leavened sweet bun similar to a teacake or a hot cross bun.
Often called “Tuppenny Buns” or “Penny Buns” from when they cost tuppence or a penny (in old money) these buns were made with just currants, hence being known as currant buns.
Famous literary mentions are in “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” by Beatrix Potter, where Peter’s mum (let’s call her Mrs Rabbit!)
“Then old Mrs Rabbit took a basket and her umbrella and went through the wood to the baker’s. She bought a loaf of brown bread and five currant buns”
I made a dozen currant buns yesterday, for the cake tin, and can report back that they were suitably sticky (with a lemon glaze) and delicious when eaten buttered with a cuppa.
Unlike teacakes, hot cross buns and other sweet yeast buns such as cinnamon buns and Chelsea buns, currant buns have no spices added to them.
The flavour comes from the dried fruit, and the taste of a fresh butter and milk enriched white bread bun, as well as a sticky glaze too.
Currant buns used to be very popular at local bakeries, where they sometimes had icing on them. A paper bag containing a couple of currant buns was a real treat, how times have changed.
Serve these buttered when warm from the oven, or toast them the next day, again with butter and a pot of tea, which is the perfect accompaniment for these sweet buns.
I hope you enjoy these as much as we do at Chez Lavender & Lovage; simple they may be, but they are delectable little buns which need reviving I think, enjoy! Karen
Ingredients
- 450g (1lb) strong white bread flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 110g (4ozs) softened butter, unsalted
- 110g (4ozs) caster sugar
- 1 x 7g sachet easy blend dried yeast
- 300ml (1/2 pint) tepid milk, and extra if needed
- 110g (4ozs) currants
- A little icing sugar and water mixed for the glaze
Instructions
- Sieve the flour, and salt into a large mixing bowl, then rub in the butter using your fingertips. Make a well in the centre of the mixture, then add the sugar and the dried yeast.
- Add the tepid milk to the flour mixture, mix together to a form a soft, pliable dough.
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Carefully work the currants into the dough until well combined. Knead lightly for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it into the buttered/greased mixing bowl, then cover with a clean tea towel (or a shower cap) and set aside in a warm place for one hour to prove.
- Turn out the proved dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knock back the dough. Form a big ball of dough.
- Then divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, into a bun shape using the palms of your hands. Cover the currant buns with a tea towel, and set aside to rise for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 240C/475F/Gas 8. Make the glaze if using – heat some water and icing sugar together until the sugar has dissolved and set aside.
- When the currant buns have risen, bake them in the pre-heated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until pale golden-brown, and when turned over and tapped on the underneath they sound hollow.
- As soon as you remove the buns from the oven, brush them with the sugar and water syrup, if using, then set aside to cool on a wire rack.
- Serve warm, split and spread with butter, or serve toasted, split and spread with butter. The cooked buns can be frozen for up to 3 months; allow 6 hours for them to defrost and serve as above.
- NB: If you have a bread machine, you can start the dough in the machine up to the second proving stage. Add the dried fruit 5 minutes before the end of kneading or when your bread machine beeps.
Notes
Eat these warm from the oven, or wait, if you can, for an hour or so until they are cool enough to toast them – cut through the middle, toast them until lightly golden and then slather the hot teacakes with butter
Make a double batch and freeze them.
Defrost and reheat in a warm oven, or toast them from frozen on the freezer toaster setting.
For a citrus tang, make the glaze with icing sugar and lemon juice.
Nutrition Information
Yield 12
Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving
Calories 357Total Fat 8ggSaturated Fat 4ggTrans Fat 0ggUnsaturated Fat 3ggCholesterol 36mgmgSodium 453mgmgCarbohydrates 64ggFiber 3ggSugar 19ggProtein 8gg
