Sally Lunn Buns - A Posh (TM) English Teacake Recipe

A Sally Lunn bun first struck me with its whimsical name. Exactly what is this bread that everybody has been low-key making over and over again? And how can I get my mittens on one? 

Well, it's a bread with a great-looking exterior, that's for sure. A deep golden brown crust, shiny from a milk glaze. It's soft and yields easily to a bread knife. The bread interior is fine-crumbed and lightly yellow, gorgeous with a daub of clotted cream or a smear of jam.  

This teacake dates back to the 17th century, and attributed to a Huguenot refugee called Solange Luyon who settled in Bath and brought this sweet yeast bun to the region. The English language butchered her name into "Sally Lunn", and 400 years later, here we are (or so the legend goes.) Others offer up another version of the teacake's origin: it was originally known as "soleil et lune" ("sun and moon" in French, representing its golden crust and white interior). . A similar amount of butchering of the French words over 400 years, (I'm sensing a common theme here), voilà, it's now known as Sally Lunn. I'll leave the origins debate to the experts, while I focus on what I do best: snacking. 

Sally Lunn Buns
Original Recipe from Paul Hollywood's British Baking
Makes 1 loaf
As good as each slice tastes, cut straight from the loaf while still warm from the oven, I find them even better when sliced and lightly toasted.   

INGREDIENTS
275g bread flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp granulated sugar
7g sachet dried, instant yeast
30g unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg, beaten
100-120ml milk
To Glaze: 2 tsp sugar mixed with 2 tsp milk

STEPS

In a large bowl, add flour. Add salt and sugar on one side and the yeast on the other. Make a little well in the middle of the dry ingredients, and add the butter, egg and about 2/3 of the milk. Using your hand, combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients in a circular manner, all the flour has been incorporated. Continue to drizzle in a little more milk at a time, until the dough becomes be soft and sticky (You might not need all of the milk.)

In the same bowl, continue to knead the dough for about 5-10 minutes; it will be progressively less sticky, and more cohesive and smooth with kneading. Then place the dough into a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise for about 2-3 hours.

Lightly butter a deep cake pan, and tip the dough into it. Push the dough around a bit and fold the dough in on itself until the skin of the dough is taut and vaguely round in shape (no need to be obsessive). Leave the dough to rise for about an hour, until about doubled in size.  

Preheat an oven to 200C/180Fan/Gas6. In a rack set to the lower 1/3 of the oven, bake for 15-20 minutes until risen and golden brown on the top. 

Brush the top and sides with the glaze as soon as it comes out of the oven. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. It could be sliced and served warm as is, or individual slices can be lightly toasted prior to serving, until each slice has a slightly crisp exterior.