Judas Buns: Traditional Easter Pastry
·Starter
Warm about 200 ml of milk until lukewarm. Stir in a tablespoon of flour and a tablespoon of sugar, then crumble in the whole cake of fresh yeast. Let the starter rise until it's covered in nice bubbles – that's when it's ready.
Rising
Meanwhile, sift the flour into a bowl with a pinch of salt and the sugar, and mix well. It's easiest if you have a stand mixer or a bread machine to knead the dough for you – it'll save you a lot of work.
Dough
Pour the starter into the flour and sugar mixture, add the egg yolks and melted butter, then mix into a smooth, non-sticky dough. Keep extra milk on hand, as different flours absorb liquid differently, so you may need more or less each time.
Let rise for an hour in a warm spot
Leave the dough to rise for about an hour in a warm place, covered with plastic wrap and a tea towel so it doesn't dry out.
Roll out the pieces
Divide the batch of dough into about 26 roughly equal pieces. Roll each one into a long, thin rope and shape it however you like – spirals, coils, twisted ropes, or any shape that takes your fancy.
Brush with egg yolk and bake
Place the shaped buns on a baking sheet and let them rise for a further 15 minutes or so. Brush with beaten egg yolk and bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for about 20 minutes, until nicely golden. They taste best fresh, drizzled with honey and a little butter.
