Angel Buns

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup warm water (37°C-43°C)
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 packet (7 g) of active dry yeast
• 2 and 2/3 cups premium flour + extra for working with the dough
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 0.5 tsp of soda
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 110g chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus melted butter for greasing
• 3/4 cup sour milk or kefir
• Sea salt flakes, for sprinkling

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, combine warm water and honey until completely dissolved, then add yeast; set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and coarse salt in a large bowl. Add the chopped butter to the flour mixture and rub it in with your fingertips until it forms pea-sized pieces. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the yeast and soured milk mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until the flour is completely moistened and the dough forms a rough ball.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size, 1 to 1.5 hours.
4. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie dish or cast-iron skillet with melted butter. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and quickly knead three or four times until smooth. Using your hands, form into a 1-inch-thick layer; fold in half like a book, and flatten again to a 1-inch thickness.
5. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat the folding and flattening process two more times. Using a 6-cm cookie cutter, cut out circles from the dough (dust the cutter with flour if the dough is sticky). Gently mix the scraps to cut out more buns. You should have about 10 circles of dough.
6. Place the dough pieces close together in the prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate until the dough rises and becomes cold and firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.
7. Preheat oven to 220°C. Generously brush the tops of the buns with melted butter.
8. Bake until the buns are golden brown on top and set where they meet, 20-25 minutes. Brush again with melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt.
9. Let cool in pan for at least 20 minutes, then remove from pan.