Buchteln- Everything you need to know and more about the unknown Austrian treasure. 

What are Buchteln? 

When I think of Austrian cuisine, the first things that comes to mind are the world famous Schnitzel and Käsespätzle, not Buchteln. So how come one of the country's most famous sweet treats has been kept such a big secret to the rest of the world? 

Buchteln are "pull apart" style yeasted buns, characterised by their light, fluffy and buttery texture. They are not overly sweet as they only contain a few tablespoons of sugar and are typically served fresh out the oven. Originally they were filled with plumb Powidl jam, however now a days they can also be stuffed with jam, poppy seeds or a vanilla cream. Typically Buchteln are accompanied by a sweet white wine.  

Buchteln also known as Wuchteln originated in the Czechia region of Bohemia and eventually the recipe spread throughout Western Europe and they are still commonly enjoyed in Hungry, Austria and Slovenia today.  

After doing some research, I decided to find why Buchteln are one of Austrians most loved foods.

 Unfortunately due to travel restrictions, I could not fly to Austria and find out for myself, so I opted for option B...I found a recipe and attempted to bake the sweet buns. As someone who brags about how clumsy they are in the kitchen, I found this recipe relatively easy to follow (although they do require a lot of patience) and after trying them I came to the conclusion that the British certainly missed out on a perfect accompaniment to their afternoon tea. 

Key ingredients in Buchteln.

Although there are many variations and every Kaffeehaus in Austria will add their own unique twist to the recipe, the key ingredients in Buchteln include:

-milk

-flour

-sugar

-yeast

-butter

and egg yolks. 

It is also very common to add some lemon zest to the dough and coat with icing sugar. 

How does Buchteln get its signature "Pull apart" appearance?

Even-though it looks complicated, Buchteln are actually quite simple to make (coming from a girl who burns everything she makes and has no idea how to bake),that is if you have the patience to wait for the dough to rise several times. 

Once you have made the dough, you must divide the mixture into several parts. Then roll each part into a ball shape, flatten them out into a circle and add a tablespoon of jam or whatever fill-in you have chosen into the middle(I made the mistake of adding too much filling and they exploded). Once you have done this, all that is left to do is pinch and seal the dough tightly and put each filled ball into a buttered tin. The stuffed balls will expand and stick to each other in the oven, and this is what gives Buchteln its signature "tear and share" appearance. 

So if you have a free moment this week, are curious to try something new, or just a keen baker be sure to attempt Buchteln. I promise you won't be disappointed. 

FOR AN AUTHENTIC AUSTRIAN BUCHTELN RECIPE PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

https://www.wien.info/en/shopping-wining-dining/viennese-cuisine/recipes/buchteln-a-la-sacher-341836 

SOURCES:

https://www.lilvienna.com/buchteln-sweet-austrian-yeast-buns/ 

https://www.wien.info/en/shopping-wining-dining/viennese-cuisine/recipes/buchteln-a-la-sacher-341836

https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/buchteln