St. Anthony’s Buns are a traditional recipe linked to the feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot, celebrated on January 17th.
They are soft, sweet buns with a delicate flavor, always prepared for this occasion.
Their origin is connected to the rural tradition when the Saint was invoked as the protector of animals and farms.
Once, on the day dedicated to St. Anthony, the priest went around the village barns to bless the animals, essential for the work and sustenance of families.
On that occasion, these buns were prepared and shared, symbolizing celebration and conviviality.
Over the years, the blessing of the animals has almost entirely disappeared, but the tradition of preparing St. Anthony’s Buns remains alive.
Even today, these sweet buns are made at home and in artisanal bakeries, especially in Tuscany, as a gesture of continuity with the past.
Soft and fragrant, they are perfect to enjoy at any time of the day and represent a simple recipe rich in history and tradition.
Someone might wonder why I am proposing a recipe that does not belong to the Abruzzese tradition.
The answer is simple: I often have the fortune to meet people who share with me unique regional recipes and now… let’s prepare the recipe together!
About 103 kcal for each bun
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 3 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 30 buns
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Winter
Ingredients for Making St. Anthony’s Buns
- 4.5 cups All-purpose flour
- 2/5 cup Sugar
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 Small egg
- 3.4 tbsp Sunflower oil
- 1 cup Whole milk
- 2/3 oz Fresh yeast
- 1 Yolk
- 0.7 oz Milk
- 1/8 cup Sugar
Preparation of St. Anthony’s Buns
In a bowl, put the yeast with the milk and let it dissolve, then add the sugar and some of the flour.
Next, add the sunflower oil, a beaten egg, the salt, and complete the dough by adding the remaining flour.
Finish working the dough on a work surface until you obtain a soft non-sticky dough, then let it rise in a covered bowl, in a warm environment… the oven light will do.
Let it rise for about 2 hours or until it doubles in size.
Once risen, pour the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it again into a homogeneous loaf.
From the loaf obtained, we will derive balls weighing about 1.1-1.23 oz each, which we will place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Place the balls next to each other in rows of 6, and let them rise again for about 1 hour in a warm place or with the oven light on.
Once risen, turn on the oven and in a glass mix the egg yolk with the milk and brush it on the buns, once all are brushed sprinkle them with sugar and bake in a hot oven at 340°F for 25 minutes.
Once baking is complete, let them cool and divide them into groups of 6, because traditionally that’s how it’s done, but of course, at home, we will divide them individually for convenience.
To store them, place them in plastic bags, and they will last for at least 4 days.
