Saint Anthony’s buns, very soft and light milk buns, without butter in the dough, prepared for the feast of Saint Anthony the Great (patron of animals and farmers) on January 17.
Tradition has it that they were once given to animals to eat, with the hope that they could cure them of diseases.
These delicious buns can be filled with both sweet and savory preparations.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 30 balls of 1 oz each
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for Saint Anthony’s Buns:
- 4.8 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.21 oz instant yeast
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 3.5 oz granulated sugar
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3.4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium egg (at room temperature)
- 1 medium egg yolk
- 3 tbsp whole milk (at room temperature)
Tools for Saint Anthony’s Buns:
- 1 Stand Mixer kenwood
- 1 Bowl glass
- 1 Non-stick Baking Pan rectangular
Steps for preparing and baking Saint Anthony’s Buns:
Warm the milk in the microwave or in a saucepan (it should be warm, not hot), then place it in a bowl, add the instant yeast and a couple of tablespoons of granulated sugar (taken from the 3.5 oz), stir the ingredients well to dissolve the sugar, and let it rest for 15 minutes.
In the stand mixer, put the sifted flour, add the milk with the dissolved yeast and turn on the appliance, then gradually add the sugar, a pinch of salt, the vegetable oil, and finally the slightly beaten egg.
Work the mixture until it is smooth and well incorporated, and it pulls away from the sides of the mixer bowl.
Transfer the mixture to a lightly floured board, form a ball and let it rise in a bowl covered with plastic wrap until doubled in size (this will take about 3 hours).
After this time, take the mixture and divide it into 30 parts of 1 to 1.15 oz each, and shape each piece of dough into a ball. To form a ball, slightly flatten the piece of dough, then bring the edges inward, pinch it to seal well, and turn it over.
Once all the balls are ready, place them close to each other in a rectangular baking pan (5 rows of 6 balls), cover the pan with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1 hour.
In a bowl, beat the egg yolk with the milk, then brush it over the buns.
Bake in a preheated oven at 338°F for 20/25 minutes, until they are nicely golden brown.
Let them cool before consuming.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How can I store them?
under a glass dome or inside a transparent food bag.
