Steps for Super Soft South Tyrolean Buchteln

• Take a non-stick saucepan and whisk the flour with a little milk, then add the remaining milk and turn the heat to low, it should reach about 150°F, forming a little dough that detaches from the sides, keep it on the heat for 2-3 minutes.

  Then set aside the saucepan covered with parchment paper and let the dough cool well.

  

• Add to the mixer bowl with a flat beater: flour, milk, egg, dry yeast (if using fresh yeast, crumble it with fingers over the flour), sugar, anise liqueur (or rum), melted butter, vanilla extract, grated orange zest and finally the milk roux.

  Mix the dough with a flat beater for 5 minutes, then replace the beater with the hook and work for another 5 minutes, then add the fine salt and work for another 3 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and detaches from the sides of the bowl.

  Finally, form a ball and let the dough rise for about 1 hour covered with plastic wrap.

  

• In the meantime, take a 12×9 inches pan and butter it generously with melted butter.

  After the rising time, deflate the dough and form 12 balls of about 2 1/2 oz each.

  Flatten the dough balls, put a little chosen jam in the center, about 2 teaspoons (I personally also like them plain, with a simple vanilla flavor), seal them well with the closure facing down and place them, spaced, on the buttered pan.

  Let the buns rise for about an hour, covered with a clean cloth.

  In the meantime, preheat the oven to 355°F.

  Once the buchteln have risen again, brush them well with 3 1/2 tbsp of melted butter, let them rest for 5 minutes then bake them in a preheated static oven for about 30 minutes (after 20 minutes cover with aluminum foil, they should be light and not overcooked).

  

• Take the buchteln out of the oven and let them cool slightly, then sprinkle them with plenty of vanilla powdered sugar.

  

• You can serve them plain or even with vanilla ice cream or a warm vanilla sauce.