Buchteln with Hot Vanilla Sauce

Pour the milk into a small saucepan and place over a medium heat. Warm the milk to 38C/100F.

In a measuring jug, add the dry yeast and the warmed milk and give it a gentle stir. Put to one side for the yeast to get going.

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of an electric blender and stir to combine. Add the melted butter, egg and vanilla extract and finally the yeast and milk mixture. Add the dough attachment and blend the mixture on a medium speed for about 5 minutes. The dough is ready when it easily comes off the side of the mixing bowl and is still elastic.

Disconnect the bowl from the mixer and cover with clingfilm/shrink wrap and put in a warm shot until it has doubled in volume. Anything up to 2 hours normally.

Using an 8×12 inch baking dish (doesn’t matter what shape), lightly brush the base and sides with some of the melted butter to make it easier to remove the buns after cooking.

Lightly flour a clean cool surface and transfer he dough onto it. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions.

Using dry hands, fold each bun in your hands to create a lovely smooth texture with a fold underneath. Place the smooth side face down on the floured surface and using the palm of your hand push from the centre outward a little, rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat until the ball is approximately 3 ½ – 4 inches in diameter.

Add a spoonful of the filling, strawberry jam in this case to the centre of the flattened bun and fold the edges of the disc inwards so the jam is sealed inside and you have a lovely smooth ball again. Repeat with the remaining 11 balls of dough.

When all are done, add them to the buttered baking dish and it doesn’t matter if they touch. Brush the remaining melted butter over the buns and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Put to one side for about 30 – 45 minutes and allow to rise/proof again.

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5. When it has reached temperature add the buns to the middle shelf and cook for 25 minutes or until the tops of the buns have a lovely golden colour.

When cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes while you make the vanilla sauce.

Add ¾ of the milk to a saucepan along with the vanilla extract. Place the pan over a low heat and slowly heat the milk and vanilla.

Add the cornflour, sugar and egg yolks with the remaining ¼ of the milk to a mixing bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.

Slowly combine the egg, cornflour mixture to the vanilla milk and keep stirring.

Keep the contents on a low heat and stir to make sure the egg doesn’t go lumpy and burn. The sauce will start to get thicker. When it does this remove from the heat but keep stirring until ready to serve.

Place the buns into four warmed bowls, sprinkle over a little of the confectioner’s sugar and gently pour the vanilla sauce around the buns.

Serve while the sauce is still hot.