Vegetology 

|recipe inspired by: Averie Cooks| 

(Makes 8; recommend doubling, they are too delicious)

 

1/2 cup water1+ 1/8 tsp yeast (plus 1/2 tsp sugar)

 1 egg

1/8 cup honey 

1.5 Tbs oil

 1/4 tsp. salt 

1.75 cups all purpose flour 

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 heaping cup thompson raisins

3/4 tsp. cinnamon 

 

for glaze:

1 Tbs unsalted butter, melted

1 Tbs honey

 

Heat water for 30 seconds in the microwave, and add the yeast. Add 1/2 tsp. sugar, so that the yeast becomes active. Stir. Allow to set for 10 minutes (after 10 minutes, it should be foamy).

 

In a bowl, add the egg, 1/8 cup honey, oil, and salt. Mix until well-combined. Add the flour, oats, raisins and cinnamon. Combine until dough begins to form. Add 1 Tbs of water, if the dough becomes a little dry. Begin to knead. Knead in bowl or on lightly floured surface 5-8 minutes. Add 1 Tbs. oil to a bowl, and place dough in bowl, rolling it around to absorb the oil. Set a warm cloth/towel over the bowl for either 2 hours or set overnight (doesn't need to be refrigerated, but can be).

 

Whether in the morning or 2 hours later, take dough out of the bowl, and knead on a lightly floured surface for 1 minute to eliminate air bubbles (can add 1 Tbs of water if the dough is too dry at all). Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Prepare 8x8" baking dish (I used a glass pyrex), and line with parchment paper (you can also use tinfoil, but you need to grease the tinfoil if doing so). Roll the dough into a cylinder, nearly 12" long. Cut into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, and pinch up a little dough, and tuck it into itself. (i added a little oil to my hands, with a little water, when rolling, to hydrate the buns even more). After rolling and tucking, place buns in rows of the baking dish.

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 

Place the baking dish on top of the oven (the heat helps them rise), and allow rolls to rise for 1 more hour. (cover the dish with a piece of parchment or wax paper, so the air doesn't dry them out while setting). 

 

A few minutes before the buns are done rising, prepare honey-butter, by adding 1 Tbs of unsalted butter and 1 Tbs of honey together in a bowl. Heat in microwave 30-45 seconds, or until melted. Mix. Right before placing the buns in the oven, glaze the tops, sides, and creases with the honey-butter mixture, using a pastry brush. Bake 15-22 minutes (watch carefully). Mine took 22 minutes, but it will truly depend on your oven, because the original recipe called for 15. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes; serve drizzled with more warm honey-butter! ~these are freezable for 3 months in a ziploc or airtight container. allow to thaw, and then place in the oven for a few minutes temperature set between 175 and 200 degrees. Serve warm. ~i also keep ALL of my baking in the refrigerator for ultimate freshness. everything keeps twice as long, and you can just pop your bakery into the microwave or oven, so that it's like eating it warm for the first time.. every time. ~i love using parchment paper, it keeps my bakery from burning, and it allows me not to have to butter everything that goes into the oven. These turned out perfectly golden, using parchment paper.