Slovenian Easter Buns
Enjoy this delicious Slovenian Easter tradition - warm buns with nuts and dried fruit! They are delicious, comforting and perfect for any time of the day!
Ingredients
Easter Buns
- 1 cup dates roughly chopped into raisin-sized pieces
- 1 cup raisins
- ⅓ cup warm milk (or dairy free milk)
- 2½ teaspoon active dry yeast (one packet)
- 2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup almond flour grind whole almonds in a blender or food processor until it forms a fine texture
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 6 tablespoon butter melted in the microwave on 30 second intervals
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 small lemon zested and juiced
Egg Wash
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- In a small bowl, cover the dates and raisins with hot water and let them soak. Set aside.
- In another small bowl, warm the milk in the microwave for about 30 to 60 seconds seconds, until it is the temperature of a warm bath. Stir in the yeast and granulated sugar. Let is sit for 10 minutes, until it is frothy on top.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine in the bubbly yeast mixture, all purpose flour, almond flour, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, powdered sugar, melted butter, almond extract and salt. Mix it with a wooden spoon until it forms a soft dough.
- Drain the dates and raisins and mix them into the dough along with the juice and zest of one small lemon.
- Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it's relatively smooth and elastic. (If the dough feels sticky, add an additional tablespoon of flour and knead it in. The dough should feel stretchy and firm, not sticky.)
- Form the dough into a ball and return it to the mixing bowl. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let the dough rise until it doubles in size, after about 4 to 6 hours.
- Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lightly flour a clean work surface and dump the dough ball out. Shape the dough into 10 equal-sized balls and place them on your baking sheet.
- Whisk the egg yolk with the teaspoon of water to make an egg wash. Brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash.Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until the buns are golden. Enjoy!!
Notes
- Kneading: If the dough feels like it’s seizing up and becoming too hard to knead, let it rest for a few minutes so the gluten can relax. Then finish kneading the dough.
- Rising: When letting the dough rise, I like to place it in then oven (turned off) with the oven light on. This provides a draft-free spot, and the small amount of the heat from the oven light helps to keep the dough warm.
- Decorating: Add a few sliced almonds on top of each bun just before you bake them. The egg wash will help the almonds stick on top, and your buns will look really pretty!
- Dried fruit: Feel free to substitute your favorite dried fruit in place of the raisins and chopped dates. Sultanas, cranberries, and chopped prunes are some of my favorites.
- Citrus: Instead of lemon zest, you can add orange zest for a slightly sweeter flavor. Both add a pop of bright, citrus flavor that tastes delicious.
- Storing: Store cooled buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can reheat them in the microwave or an oven to soften them.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bunCalories: 367kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 7gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 297mgPotassium: 292mgFiber: 5gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 254IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 3mg
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