Buchty na pare

Buchty na pare are pillowy, steamed sweet buns cherished across Central Europe. Traditionally served for comforting family lunches and festive gatherings, they feature a soft, enriched dough wrapped around fruity or nutty fillings and finished with a buttery, snowy topping. Their roots trace through the former Austro-Hungarian culinary tapestry, where cooks perfected gentle steaming to yield a light, cloudlike crumb. Whether you remember them from a grandmother’s kitchen or you are discovering them for the first time, these buns deliver a nostalgic, bakery-quality experience made right at home.

Ingredients

Dough

• 500 g all-purpose flour
• 250 ml lukewarm milk
• 7 g (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 60 g sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 60 g melted unsalted butter (cooled slightly)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (optional)

Filling and finish

• About 250–300 g smooth apricot jam or thick plum jam
• Or: 120 g ground poppy seeds mixed with 60 g powdered sugar for a nutty filling
• More melted unsalted butter for brushing and serving
• powdered sugar for dusting
• Optional: a light sprinkle of cocoa powder or extra poppy seeds to finish
• vegetable oil for greasing
• water for steaming

Before you start

For best texture, bring the enriched dough together gently and allow it enough time to become airy and elastic. A consistent, gently simmering steam environment is key to a light, tender crumb. Have your steamer or pot-with-insert ready, plus parchment squares to prevent sticking.

Step-by-step instructions

Make the dough

1. Activate the leavening: Warm the milk until comfortably lukewarm, stir in half the sugar, and sprinkle over the active dry yeast. Let it stand until lightly foamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Mix the dry base: In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the salt and the remaining sugar.
3. Enrich and combine: Add the eggs, the vanilla extract, and the lemon zest to the dry mixture. Pour in the foamy milk mixture and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Knead until smooth and elastic, then work in the melted unsalted butter a little at a time until fully absorbed.
4. First rise: Lightly coat a bowl with a thin film of vegetable oil, place in the dough, cover, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 60 to 90 minutes.

Shape and fill

1. Divide: Turn the dough onto a lightly oiled surface and gently deflate. Divide into 12–14 equal pieces and form loose balls.
2. Fill: Flatten a ball into a small disk. Add about a teaspoon of apricot jam or plum jam in the center. Alternatively, use a spoonful of the poppy seeds and powdered sugar mixture. Pinch the dough firmly to seal so the filling stays inside.
3. Arrange for the second rise: Place each bun seam-side down on lightly oiled parchment squares or a greased tray, leaving space between them. Cover and let them puff until slightly swollen, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Steam

1. Prepare the steamer: Bring a pot fitted with a steamer insert to a steady simmer with enough water to produce constant steam (but not touching the buns).
2. Steam the buns: Set a few buns on parchment in the steamer, leaving room for expansion. Cover with a tight lid and steam until glossy, fully set, and springy when gently pressed, about 12 to 15 minutes. Work in batches, keeping the remaining buns covered so they do not dry out.

Serve

1. Finishing touches: Brush the hot buns with melted unsalted butter, then sift over plenty of powdered sugar. For a café-style variation, dust lightly with cocoa powder or a sprinkle of poppy seeds.
2. Enjoy: Serve warm. The tender crumb and aromatic filling are at their best right after steaming, though they remain lovely later with a gentle reheat.

Tips for success

• Seal the buns thoroughly so apricot jam, plum jam, or the sweetened poppy seeds stay inside during steaming.
• A light brush of melted unsalted butter before and after steaming enhances tenderness and flavor.
• Avoid a rolling boil beneath the steamer; a steady, gentle cloud of steam over simmering water keeps the texture plush.
• If your kitchen is cool, a barely warm oven (turned off) can help the first rise. Keep the dough covered so it doesn’t skin over; a light film of vegetable oil prevents sticking.

Serving ideas

• Classic: A generous pour of melted unsalted butter and a snow of powdered sugar.
• Chocolate-kissed: A delicate veil of cocoa powder on top of the powdered sugar.
• Bakery finish: Sprinkle extra ground poppy seeds for a nutty aroma that complements apricot jam or plum jam.

Make-ahead, storage, and reheating

• Make-ahead dough: Mix and complete the first rise, then refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Bring to room temperature before shaping.
• Storage: Cooled buns keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a day. For longer storage, freeze on a tray, then bag.
• Reheating: Steam gently until warm through, about 2 to 3 minutes, or briefly microwave under a cover to prevent drying, then refresh with melted unsalted butter and powdered sugar.

Variations

• Citrus lift: Add extra lemon zest for fragrance, or swap in a touch of orange zest.
• Dual filling platter: Make half with apricot jam and half with plum jam to offer contrasting flavors.
• Poppy classic: Enrich the ground poppy seeds with a spoon of warm milk and a little powdered sugar before filling for a traditional café-style bun.

How to enjoy

Serve these buns warm on a plate, pull them apart to reveal the fragrant center, and spoon any escaped filling back over the top. A drizzle of melted unsalted butter, a flurry of powdered sugar, and a dusting of cocoa powder or extra poppy seeds offer a satisfying finish that pairs beautifully with coffee, tea, or warm milk for a cozy, homestyle treat.