If you've never been to Tartine Bakery and Cafe in San Francisco, then you've missed out on Heavenly Morning Buns. They are the trademark pastry of the famous bakery. If you want them fresh, you have to arrive early and expect to wait in line. I've read testimonials from customers that say they would never imagine standing in line waiting for a pastry, but they all agree that the Morning Buns are definitely worth it, and the lines are proof!
I have the cookbook and it does not include this recipe.
They plan on including it in the next book.
Here's the recipe.
2 pounds of Croissant Dough (recipe to follow)
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C Granulated Sugar
Zest of 2 Oranges, finely grated.
2 TBS Cinnamon
A Pinch of Salt
8 TBS Butter, melted.
Granulated Sugar for coating muffin cups and for rolling finished buns.
In a small bowl:
Make the Sugar Mixture.
Brown Sugar
Granulated Sugar
Orange Zest
Cinnamon
Salt
Combine well.
Generously brush the bottoms and sides of the cups of a 12 cup Muffin Tin.
Add a tsp of sugar in each cup and tap out the excess.
Roll out the Croissant Dough into a 1/4" thick, 6"X 8" rectangle with the long side in front of you.
Brush the dough with melted butter and sprinkle Sugar Mixture evenly over the entire rectangle. The Sugar should be about 1/8" thick. You may have a bit of the mixture left.
Begin with the long side facing you and roll the rectangle into a cylinder.
Cut into 1 1/2" discs.
Fit each disc into a cup in the muffin tin, the swirl pattern should be visible on the top.
If you have extra discs, make more buns! They can be frozen individually on a sheet pan and transferred to plastic bags and freeze. (defrost about 45 minutes and bake as directed).
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Allow the Buns to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
They should rise at least 1 1/2 times their original size.
Place the Muffin Tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 45 - 60 minutes, baking time will depend on your oven.
The tops should be well browned and the sugar will be melted.
Remove the pan from the oven and immediately release the buns onto a clean sheet pan or work surface.
It's recommended to eat the buns immediately.
They can be stored in an airtight container and eaten the next day by heating them in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes.
Croissant Dough:
I have to say that this is a complicated process, however, for the dedicated baker it's a necessary step to create theses amazing Morning Buns, and you can make homemade Croissants with this recipe.
The Preferment, (a fermentation starter).
1/4 C Nonfat Milk
1 TBS Active Dry Yeast
1 1/3 C All Purpose Flour
The Dough:
1 TBS + 1 tsp Active Dry Yeast
1 3/4 C Whole Milk
6 C All Purpose Flour
1/3 C Granulated Sugar
1 TBS + 1 tsp Salt
1 TBS Unsalted Butter, melted
Roll-in-Butter:
2 3/4 C Unsalted Butter, cool but pliable.
Egg Wash:
4 Large Egg Yolks
1/4 C Heavy Cream
A Pinch of Salt
Preferment preparation:
In a small saucepan, warm the milk only enough to take the chill off.
Pour into a mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast over it.
Stir to dissolve the yeast with a wooden spoon.
Add Flour, mix with the spoon until a smooth batter forms.
Cover the bowl with cheesecloth and let it rise until almost doubled in volume, 2 -3 hours at moderate room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
Dough preparation:
Pre measure all ingredients and have them available.
Transfer the Preferment and then the Dough Yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
Mix on low until the yeast is incorporated into the Preferment, 1 - 2 minutes.
Stopping the mixer as needed to scrape the sides of the bowl.
When the mixture has come together into an even , well mixed mass, increase the speed ti medium and mix for 2 minutes.
Slowly add half of the milk and continue to mix until completely incorporated.
Reduce the speed to low, add the flour, sugar, salt, melted butter and the remaining milk and mix until the mass comes together in a loose dough, about 3 minutes.
Turn the mixer off and let the dough rest for 15 - 20 minutes.
This resting period helps to shorten the final mixing phase.
Start the mixer again on low speed and mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, a maximum of 4 minutes.
If the dough is firm, add a little more milk, 1 TBS at a time to loosen it.
But take care not to over mix it.
Cover the bowl with cheesecloth and let the dough rise in a cool place until the volume increases by half, about 1 1/2 hours.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and press into a rectangle, 2" thick.
Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 - 6 hours.
About an hour before you're ready to start laminating the dough, put the butter that you will be rolling into the dough in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Mix on medium speed until malleable but not warm or soft, about 3 minutes.
Remove the butter, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate just to chill, not to resolidify.
Now you can begin laminating the dough.
Lightly dust a cool work surface with flour and remove the dough and the butter from the refrigerator.
Unwrap the dough and place it on the surface.
Roll it into a 28" X 12 " rectangle. With the long side facing you, start from the left , spread and spot the butter over 2/3 of the length of the dough.
Fold the uncovered 1/3 over the butter and then fold the left hand 1/3 over the center, as if folding a business letter.
With your fingers, push down along the seams on the top and bottom to seal the butter.
This rectangle is known as a Plaque.
Give the Plaque a quarter of a turn so the seams are to your right and left, rather than top and bottom.
Roll the dough into a rectangle again, 28" X 12" and repeat the entire folding process again.
Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 1/2 - 2 hours before making the third fold.
Clean the work surface and lightly dust with flour.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator.
Unwrap and place on the surface.
and roll again into a 28" X 12 " rectangle.
Refold as in the first two times.
You should have a Plaque of dough measuring 9" X 12 ", about the size of a Quarter Sheet Pan and 1 1/2 - 2" thick.
Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the freezer until evening and transfer to the refrigerator before retiring for the evening , refrigerate over night.
The next morning the dough will be ready to make the Morning Buns.
Follow the instructions at the beginning of this recipe.
I'm not going to post the precess fro making Croissants, but at this stage of the dough you can make them.
Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!
