I was in Bath once - where Jane Austen lived for a while. A number of her novels are set in Bath -
Persuasion may have been one of them. I went back to Bath to find this picture of the unforgettable Sally Lunn bun -
"Sally Lunn's is one of the oldest houses in Bath (c.1482) and serves the most famous local delicacy; the Original 'Sally Lunn' Bun. According to legend, Sally Lunn, a French refugee, arrived 1680 and established her bakery. Today Sally Lunn's serve a menu based on the world famous 'Sally Lunn' Bun during the day and are open for fine English food in the evening."
If we can't get to Bath in time to taste the bun, I did find the recipe - surprised it isn't kept secret...quite simple though...Jane must have slippped in for a bun - or two!
Look - here's Jane in
the Sally Lunn Bun shop!
Did you find this recipe in the cook books, Joan?
Sally Lunn Buns
(Makes 18 )
4 packed cups (20 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
In medium bowl ( use a 2-quart glass measure), whisk together flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In small saucepan, melt butter.
With electric mixer, beat the eggs until fluffy and pale lemon yellow, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. By hand with a dough whisk or wooden spoon, add the flour mixture to the egg mixture in three additions, alternating with the melted butter and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Cover with lid or plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for at least 24 hours and up to three days.
About 2 1/4 hours before serving time, remove dough from refrigerator. Stir down the dough, just a few strokes, with a wooden spoon. With a 1/4-cup measure or scoop sprayed with cooking spray, scoop dough into well-greased or cooking-sprayed standard muffin tins. Lightly butter a sheet of plastic wrap and place, buttered side down, over the buns. Let rise until puffy but likely not doubled in volume, about 1 3/4 hours. During last 15 minutes, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Uncover buns. Bake at 375 degrees about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer tins to wire racks and let cool for 5 minutes. Turn the buns out of the tins onto the racks and serve warm or continue to cool before storing.
