Author Notes
This recipe is based on one of my favorite pastries of all time: craquelin, made by stuffing infused sugar cubes inside buttery dough. When the dough bakes, the sugar melts inside of it, creating a sweet pocket in the center. It's just dreamy. —Erin Jeanne McDowell
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Ingredients
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24
sugar cubes
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zest from 1 orange
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scrapings from 1 vanilla bean
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3 pounds
Sweet Dough (https://food52.com/recipes...)
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egg wash, as needed
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turbinado sugar, as needed
Directions
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Up to 4 days and at least 1 day before you want to make the buns, mix the sugar cubes, orange zest, and vanilla bean scrapings to combine. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
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Place 12 stand-alone baking cups on a baking sheet and spray the insides with nonstick spray (alternatively, you can just grease the cavities of a standard muffin pan).
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Divide the sweet dough into 12 even pieces (4 ounces each). Working one piece at a time, flatten the dough out slightly. Cut or break up 2 sugar cubes into 3 to 4 pieces each.
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Sprinkle the infused sugar chunks in the center of the dough, then fold the edges inward and pinch to seal. Shape the dough into a tight round by cupping the dough in the palm of your hand and move it in a circle until you've formed an even round.
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Transfer the rounds to the prepared baking cups. Cover each piece with a damp paper towel or greased plastic wrap and let rise until nearly double in size, 35 to 45 minutes.
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When the buns are nearly risen, preheat the oven to 375° F. Remove the towels/plastic wrap from each piece. Brush each bun with egg wash and sprinkle turbinado sugar on top.
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Bake until the craquelin is golden brown and has an internal temperature around 195° F. Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
I always have three kinds of hot sauce in my purse. I have a soft spot for making people their favorite dessert, especially if it's wrapped in a pastry crust. My newest cookbook, Savory Baking, came out in Fall of 2022 - is full of recipes to translate a love of baking into recipes for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between!
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