Belgian buns, 19th century

Name: Belgian buns, 19th century
Yield: For 12 buns
Cuisine: Belgium
Ingredients: 80 g (2¾ oz) blanched almonds; 85 g (3 oz) butter; ¼ tsp ground ginger; ½ tsp ground nutmeg; zest of ½ lemon, grated; 40 g (1½ oz) candied citrus peel; 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp milk, for egg wash; 225 g (8 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 75 g (2½ oz) currants; ¼ tsp ground cloves; 1 egg; 125 g (4½ oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar

Preparation info

For
12
buns

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Oats in the North, Wheat from the South

By Regula Ysewijn

Published 2020

About

These are George Read’s Belgian buns from his 1854 book, The Complete Biscuit and Gingerbread Baker’s Assistant. Unlike modern Belgian buns, these buns are rather like rock cakes.

Ingredients

80 g (2¾ oz) blanched almonds
85 g (3

Europe
Belgium
Vegetarian
Bread

Method

Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Cut the almonds in half with a sharp knife and then in half again. Reserve some of the almonds to decorate the top of the buns.

Rub the butter into the flour, baking powder, sugar and spices wi