Hot Dog or Hamburger Buns

The sunny days of summer invite us to enjoy family gatherings, camping adventures, picnics and barbecues. What a treat to have fresh, tasty homemade buns at the backyard barbecue. These buns can be made ahead; they can be frozen for the special event.

2 Tbsp/30 ml yeast

½ cup/125 ml warm water

1 Tbsp/15 ml sugar

4 cups/1 L warm milk or water

1/4 cup/60 ml melted butter

1/4 cup/60 ml sugar

1 Tbsp/15 ml salt

1 Tbsp/15 ml lemon juice

9 - 10 cups2.25-2.5 L all-purpose flour

Soften yeast in warm water with sugar. Combine milk, butter, and sugar, salt and lemon juice.

Stir and pour into a large mixing bowl with the softened yeast. Add flour gradually to

make a stiff dough. Let rest 20 minutes. Knead until smooth, and place in a warm place

to double in bulk. Then divide into 3 sections and roll each into a long roll. Divide each

into 10 pieces. Form each piece into a long hot dog bun or a flat round shape for hamburgers.

Let rise until double. Bake @ 400F/200C for 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown.

Makes 30 - 36 buns

Butterhorns

Easy to mix and have fresh dessert buns the next day. Our mother made these often for family gatherings and picnics. I usually spoon a teaspoon of jam or jelly in the center of the bun before I bake it - to make it resemble a danish. This recipe is in the From Oma's Kitchen Cookbook.

2 Tbsp/30 ml yeast

2 tsp/10 ml sugar

½ cup/125 ml warm water

4 cups/1 L regular flour

½ cup/125 ml sugar

3/4 cup/175 ml butter

2 eggs (beaten)

1 cup/250 ml milk

2 tsp/10 ml salt

Dissolve yeast in warm water and sugar. Mix the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter as for pastry - crumbly appearance. Mix eggs and milk and add to the flour mixture. Beat together and place the dough in a greased bowl. Chill in the refrigerator over night.

The next day, roll out half the dough on a floured board, cut strips ½ inch in width, twist to look rope-like. Form each rope into the shape of a circular coil on a parchment lined pan. Let rise until light.

Bake @ 350EF /180EC for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes 36 buns

To decorate:

Make an icing with 1 ½ cups icing sugar, ½ tsp vanilla and enough milk to make the icing runny. Top with crushed nuts or fine coconut as desired.

Easy Zwieback

My sister, MarieAnne, makes these buns and serves them with lunch or dinner. These classic little Mennonite buns often appeared on my mother's table for Faspa, the typical tea-coffee-and-savoury supper that we served to guests on a Sunday afternoon. Very versatile, Zwieback go well with soup, cold cuts, and pickles, or with jam and jelly as a little dessert after a meal. When they are a few days old, they can be sliced, toasted and served hot with fresh butter. This recipe is in the From Oma's Kitchen Cookbook.

9 cups/2.25 L flour

1 cup/250 ml butter

4 cups/1 L warmed milk

½ cup/125 ml warm water

1 tsp/5 ml sugar

2 Tbsp/30 ml yeast (heaping)

1 Tbsp/15 ml salt (heaping)

1 Tbsp/15 ml lemon juice

1 cup/250 ml flour (for kneading)

With a pastry blender, cut butter into 9 cups/2.25 L flour. Soften yeast in warm water and sugar. (When using Quick Rising Yeast, add directly to flour.) Add salt to warm milk and mix yeast and milk into flour. Combine and let dough rest 15 to 20 minutes. Knead dough until smooth. Let rise to double. Form into balls and place on cookie sheets covered with parchment. Make the second ball small than the first and press down onto the first – press the two together. Let rise to double. Bake in a hot oven at 400ºF/200ºC for 20 minutes.