Pride Buns by Jody O’Sullivan

Senior Pastry Chef, Crowne Plaza Resort, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, U.S.

When our café planned a special for Pride Month, I wanted to create something that would not only celebrate the colors of the Pride flag but also showcase the creativity and adaptability of pastry techniques. These vibrant Pride Buns combine the soft richness of Viennese bread dough with a rainbow-striped pâte à cigarette exterior. They are striking, delicious and infinitely adaptable for any theme, color palette or celebration.

Yield: 12 buns

Pâte À Cigarette

• 140 g pastry flour
• 140 g confectioner’s sugar, sifted
• 140 g egg whites
• 140 g unsalted butter, melted
• Food coloring, assorted colors, as needed

1. Sift the flour and confectioner’s sugar into a mixing bowl.
2. Whisk in the egg whites until a smooth paste forms.
3. Add the melted butter and mix until fully incorporated.
4. Divide the batter evenly among 7 bowls.
5. Color each portion of batter with a different color (we use red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple), leaving one bowl plain.
6. Transfer each colored batter into a piping bag and pipe thin, straight lines along the length of a silicone baking mat, alternating colors to create a rainbow pattern.
7. Freeze until completely solid.
8. Spread a thin layer of the plain (uncolored) batter over the frozen stripes.
9. Bake in a preheated convection oven at 285°F (140°C), fan setting 3, for 7 minutes, rotating the tray after 4 minutes.
10. Cool completely.
11. Invert the baked sheet onto parchment paper, peel off the silicone mat, and flip again so the rainbow faces up.
12. Cut into strips measuring 8 inches × 2¼ inches (20 cm × 6 cm) to fit inside baking rings.
13. Note: Strips can be frozen and thawed before use.

Viennese Bread Dough

• 500 g bread flour
• 125 g water
• 150 g whole milk
• 10 g fine sea salt
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 6 g instant yeast
• 75 g active sourdough starter
• Zest of 1 orange
• 7 g pure vanilla extract
• 75 g unsalted butter, softened

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, water, milk, salt, sugar, yeast, sourdough starter, orange zest and vanilla extract.
2. Mix on low speed (Speed 1) until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Add the softened butter and continue mixing on low speed until the dough is smooth.
4. Increase to medium speed (Speed 2) and mix until the dough is elastic and passes the windowpane test.
5. Transfer to a lightly greased container, cover, and proof at 86°F (30°C) until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
6. Gently degas the dough and divide it into portions of 83 g each.
7. Shape into rounds and let rest 10 minutes before assembly.

Macaronade

• 100 g egg whites
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 125 g almond flour

1. While the dough proofs, whip the egg whites and sugar together until it is foamy.
2. Fold in the almond flour until thoroughly combined.
3. Set aside until ready to pipe.

Pink Non-Melting Sugar

• 50 g non-melting confectioner’s sugar
• 3–5 drops pink gel food coloring

1. Mix both ingredients until the sugar is evenly tinted pink.
2. Store in an airtight container until needed.

Assembly

1. Cut a perforated silicone baking mat into strips measuring 2¼ inches × 8 inches (6 cm × 20 cm) to line baking rings 2¼ inches high × 2½ inches in diameter (6 cm high × 6.5 cm diameter).
2. Line each ring with a strip of the baked Pâte à Cigarette, pressing gently so it adheres to the interior.
3. Place a dough round in the center of each lined ring.
4. Proof at 90°F (32°C) until the dough rises just above the top of the ring, about 40 minutes.
5. Pipe a spiral of the Macaronade on top of each bun, then dust lightly with confectioner’s sugar.
6. Allow to proof for an additional 5 minutes and dust again.
7. Bake in a preheated convection oven at 310°F (155°C), fan setting 2, until the internal temperature reaches 190-210°F (88-99°C), about 12 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing the rings and silicone lining.
9. Dust the tops with the Pink Non-Melting Sugar before serving.

Photos by Jody O’Sullivan

(This recipe appeared in the Winter 30 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)