Sticky buns Zeeland-style

Zeeuwse bolussen

400 grams flour
one package of yeast
250 ml milk
1 tsp salt
50 grams butter
1 tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp fine brown sugar

Sift the flour and add the salt. Follow the instructions on the packaged yeast, prepare and add it. Melt the butter, let it cool a bit and add it with the milk, ½ tsp cinnamon and 2 tbsp sugar to the flour and yeast. Knead into a supple dough and let it rise for an hour covered with a damp tea towel.

On the countertop, mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon. Roll the dough into pieces of 16 inches (40 centimeters) length. Roll these pieces through the sugar/cinnamon and form each roll into a snail’s shell or turban shape. Put the buns on a buttered cookie sheet, pour over them the remaining sugar and cinnamon and bake them in a pre-heated oven at 225ºC/440ºF for about 45 minutes.

The word ‘bolus’ originates in Greek where it means ‘lump of wet clay’, but also ‘huge piece’ or ‘mouthful’. As such the name for these and similar buns (sometimes filled with ginger or fruit) is obvious, in size, shape and color. The other, more ‘domestic’ use of the word ‘bolus’ then becomes apparent.