Not sure when the
tradition of giving Plum Shuttles originated but they hail from the weaving and lace making areas of
Rutland - hence the buns shaped like weavers' shuttles. I have heard that carraway seeds are sometimes used in the
recipe. Not in this one though - Valentine Buns - Plum Shuttles
- 450g Plain Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 tbsp dried yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 50ml warm water
- 50g butter
- 125ml milk
- 1 egg
- 255g currants
Heat oven to 200C/400F/G6. Mix the yeast and sugar together and mix with water, leave until frothy. Sift flour and
salt together. Melt the butter in a pan with the milk and beat in the egg. Add with the yeast to the flour and salt and
stir in the currants. Mix to a smooth dough and knead well. Cover and lave to rise until double in size. Knock back and
knead again.
Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Shape each into hearts or weavers shuttles, place on a
greased baking tray and again leave to rise for half an hour or so. Brush with egg and bake until golden (25 minutes or
so). Allow to cool on a wire rack.
You can't quite tell from the picture but I had some success in shaping these little curranty pleasures - some even look heart shaped! From an historic point of view these have a stronger Valentine connection than any cookie.
[Photo Andrew Barrow]
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