Tartine Bakery’s Morning Buns

Ingredients (approximately 12 Morning Buns)

Note: As mentioned under “Recipe Tips”, the Tartine croissant recipe yields 5 lbs of dough which makes 12 monster morning buns with some dough left over. This recipe uses 2 1/2 pounds of dough to make 12 good-sized morning buns. Size doesn’t make them any more or less delicious, it’s just a matter of personal preference.

• 2 1/2 pounds Tartine croissant dough Note: Cut the cookbook’s quantity in half.
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz/100 grams) brown sugar Note: I have started using 50 grams muscovado sugar and 50 grams dark brown sugar. Using all dark brown sugar definitely works.
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz/100 grams) granulated white sugar
• Finely grated zest of 2-3 medium oranges (2 teaspoons or 8 grams)
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon Diamond kosher salt
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• Extra granulated white sugar for coating muffin tins and dusting the finished buns

This dough baked up to look like the round buns at the bottom.

Instructions

Prep

• Combine the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Using a fork, mix everything together to ensure that the brown sugar doesn’t have any lumps. Add the orange zest and mix thoroughly to distribute and release some of the oils. Set aside.
• Melt the butter.
• Brush the tins generously with some of the melted butter, sprinkle the sides and bottom of each with about a teaspoon of granulated sugar, tipping and tapping the pan to distribute. Turn the pan over and tap to remove any excess.
• I don’t have a long ruler so I mark off 19 (left to right along the counter)x12 with painter’s tape. It’s helpful in terms of keeping the dough centered and rolling it evenly.

Roll & Cut

Note: Your butter should be room temperature or thereabouts. It’s best to not put hot butter on the dough.

• Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature to acclimate. If the dough is too cold, it may crack when you try to roll it.
• Roll the 2 1/2 pounds of croissant dough into a 19×10 rectangle which is about 3/8-inch thick. The long side should be in front of you.
• Brush the rectangle generously with 2 ounces of melted butter. You want enough butter so that the sugar adheres – you may not use all of it.
• Spread the sugar mixture evenly over the dough so that it’s 1/8-inch thick.
• Starting on the long side, roll the dough into a snug cylinder.
• With a very sharp knife, cut the cylinder into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Note: See “Recipe Tips” for additional notes on size.
• Put each piece into a muffin tin with the cut or swirl side up.

Proof & Bake

• Proof for 2 1/2-3 hours at around 74-75°F. If it’s cooler in the room that’s fine, but if it’s too warm the butter layers will start to melt. The size should increase to about 1 1/2 times the original. Note: As mentioned under “Recipe Tips”, properly proofing the dough is your best insurance against leaky croissant dough.
• Move your oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 400°F.
• Place the muffin tin on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch drips then transfer to the oven. Immediately turn the heat down to 375°F.
• Set two timers, one for 20 minutes and one for 45. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until deep golden brown, turning the pan 180° after 20 minutes.
• Place a piece of foil on the counter and then a piece of parchment on top of that. Grab a wire cooling rack and set aside.
• As soon as the buns come out of the oven, carefully remove them from the muffin pan and place on the wire rack. Lay them on their side so that the caramel bottom doesn’t stick. Let the buns cool for a couple of minutes.
• On the parchment lined foil, you can gently roll the buns in sugar, or, simply dust the entire morning bun using a mesh strainer for a lighter coating . Note: I prefer a dusting since this recipe has plenty of sugar in it.
• Let the morning buns cool slightly and then eat warm or at room temperature.

Storage / Make Ahead

Morning buns are best eaten the day they’re made. That being said, there were two of us and a pile of morning buns so our stomachs were outnumbered. Below are a few different storage methods.

• Baked Buns (Counter) – I left two morning buns in a Ziploc bag overnight and then refreshed them in the oven at 350°F until warm and crisped. The flavor and texture held up very well.
• Baked Buns (Freezer) – The other option is to freeze the morning buns shortly after they have cooled completely. To reheat, leave them on the counter to defrost, then refresh in an oven at 350°F until warm. This works very well.
• Croissant Dough (Freezer) – The Tartine croissant dough can be frozen up to a week in advance. Simply transfer it to the refrigerator the night before you want to roll, proof, and bake.

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