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Macatia
Sweet breakfast buns
Makatia: Réunion's soft, slightly sweet breakfast buns, eaten with coffee
MauritianBakeries in Saint-Denis and Saint-Paul fill their shelves with macatias before dawn, and they go fast: plump, shiny buns with a close, cotton-soft crumb and just enough sugar to taste sweet with black coffee. Children take them to school, workers tear one open on the bus, and people split them and fill them with butter, cheese or even a spoon of cari for a quick lunch. Some bakers add grated coconut and call them macatia coco. The commonest mistake is using milk that is too hot, which kills the yeast; it should feel just warm on your wrist. Chef's tip: brush the buns with a little milk as soon as they come out of the oven and cover them with a cloth, which keeps the crust soft rather than crisp.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flourplus a little for shaping
- 2 ⅛ oz sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup whole milklukewarm, plus 2 tbsp for brushing
- 1 eggbeaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ oz buttersoft, plus a little for the tray
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour, 2 ⅛ oz sugar, ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl, keeping the salt away from the yeast at first.
Step 2: Add 1 cup whole milk, 1 egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract and mix to a shaggy dough.
Step 3: Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth, then work in 1 ¾ oz butter a little at a time. Keep kneading until the dough is soft, silky and springs back slowly when pressed.
12 minStep 4: Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and leave somewhere warm until doubled in size.
75 minStep 5: Butter a baking tray. Knock the dough back, divide into 10 pieces and roll each into a tight, smooth ball by cupping it under your palm on the worktop.
Step 6: Set the buns on the tray with space between them, cover loosely and leave until puffy and a fingertip pressed in leaves a dent that springs back slowly.
35 minStep 7: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) while they rise. Bake until deep golden and the bases sound hollow when tapped.
20 minStep 8: Brush straight away with the rest of 1 ½ tbsp whole milk and cover with a clean cloth while they cool.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 270 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does macatia take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 130 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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