Recipe for “Buchteln” - a "pillowy" treat for home

Do you know the feeling when you open the door of your mum's or grandma's house and you are greeted by the wonderful smell of warm yeast dough? Even at that moment you can imagine how light and fluffy the “Buchteln” will be and what a wonderful feeling the tender, warm yeast dough in your mouth will be like. Whether warm or cold, with whipped cream, vanilla sauce or custard, “Buchteln” are a real classic throughout Austria and here in the Salzburger Sportwelt too.
Now that all the fruits of the summer have been boiled down into delicious jams, our cellars and pantries are well stocked with the perfect filling for “Buchteln”. So, let’s get cracking. I take my apron from the wooden shelf and tie it around my waist. Then I grab the mixing bowl and off I go. With my grandma's original recipe, nothing can go wrong.

First stir the yeast, 1 tablespoon of flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar and some lukewarm milk into a thick mixture and leave to rise for about ¼ hour in a warm place

In the meantime, warm the flour in a mixing bowl and add the melted butter and all the other ingredients. Don’t forget a pinch of salt.

Stir in the mixture that has risen in the meantime. Beat the dough until it bubbles and comes away cleanly from the spoon and mixing bowl.

Now leave the dough to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.

In the meantime, butter the mould.

After letting it rise, the yeast dough is formed into a roll on a floured board and divided into even pieces.

Flatten these pieces of dough by hand, add a spoonful of jam, seal the dough and place the “Buchteln” in a greased mould.

After rising again, bake the “Buchteln” at 180 degrees for about 30 minutes until golden brown.

After baking, remove the “Buchteln” from the oven and sprinkle with icing sugar.
The best way to enjoy the “Buchteln” is with vanilla sauce or custard. The “Buchteln” are filled with a jam filling. Traditionally, we always use apricot jam or plum jam at home. In principle, however, the “Buchteln can be filled with any jam and also other things such as nougat, etc. Once you have tried this sweet temptation, you definitely won’t be able to resist it. In the past, people also liked to serve so-called "canary's milk" with the “Buchteln”. Canary’s milk is a traditional Austrian custard that is rather liquid in consistency. It probably got its name from the yellow colour of the egg yolks used, which is reminiscent of yellow canaries. But I don't know if that's just a rumour or not!
Similar to baking bread, patience is required. It is important to let the yeast dough rise well and for a long time, then I promise you that your “Buchteln” will be unbeatable in terms of lightness and fluffiness. Now I've said enough, I'm going to take a bite of one of these wonderfully fluffy “Buchteln”. Mhhmmhm, simply a dream! Enjoy for yourself!

You can find more culinary highlights of the region and recipes to try here. Of course, you shouldn’t miss out on “Buchteln” on a cold and wonderful winter weekend. Here you’ll find a dream winter holiday this coming winter including all the culinary highlights in the Salzburger Sportwelt.
photo credits: Salzburger Sportwelt - Eva-Maria Bergmüller