Recipe: Drożdżówki With Black Currant And Brown Butter Streusel
From Michał Korkosz's 'Polish’d: Modern Vegetarian Cooking from Global Poland'
Lukullus, one of the most iconic Warsaw pastry shops, carries delicious French-style tartlets, puffs topped with streusel, and jagodzianki: sweet buns stuffed with wild blueberries, which are considered the essence of Polish summer. It also sells drożdżowki: sweet buns with various fillings. The black currant, or cassis, flavor is my favorite. When I make these at home, I stuff them with currants so generously that it feels like they almost explode.
DROŻDŻÓWKI WITH BLACK CURRANT AND BROWN BUTTER STREUSEL
Serves 9
DROŻDŻÓWKI
¼ cup (1/2 stick/57 g) unsalted butter
1/3 cup (80 ml) plant-based or dairy milk, plus 1 tablespoon, refrigerated
2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for forming
¼ cup (50 g) sugar
1 package (7 g) dry yeast
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 eggs
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 ½ cups (220 g) black currants, fresh or frozen
½ pound (225 g) black currant preserves or jam, preferably with reduced sugar
STREUSEL
3 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons demerara sugar
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add the milk. The mixture will be lukewarm, once combined.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the butter mixture, 1 of the eggs, and the sour cream, and blend well. Knead until a smooth dough forms, 10 to 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and let rise until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
To make the filling, combine the black currants and preserves in a medium bowl. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Sprinkle a working surface with flour. Divide the dough into 9 equal pieces. Roll out each piece into a 4-inch (10 cm) circle. Transfer the dough circles to a bowl. Place 3 tablespoons of the filling on a dough circle, pressing it thoroughly. Pull the top side of the dough across to the middle of the filling and place the opposite side on top of it. Now you should see two openings, one on the left side and one on the right side. Pull the left side of the dough across to the center and repeat on the right side. Remove the bun from the bowl, and pinch the dough where the sides meet, so that the seam is closed, and the filling is completely concealed within the dough.
Place the buns seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for about 1 hour. If using frozen currants, it may take longer (3 to 4 hours).
To make the streusel, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, until golden brown and fragrant, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat immediately and pour into a heat-safe medium bowl. Allow to cool. Add the brown sugar, flour, and salt. Using a wooden spoon, mix until the streusel thickens. Chill in the refrigerator until firm.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg, then brush the buns with the egg wash. Sprinkle the buns with the crumbled streusel and the demerara sugar. Bake in the oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving (the buns taste better at room temperature).
Recipe from Polish’d: Modern Vegetarian Cooking from Global Poland © Michał Korkosz, 2023. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available everywhere books are sold.