Golden chamomile twist buns are soft and tender with hints of floral aromas and sweetened with whipped honey chamomile butter – an elegant bread fit for an elven table in Lothlórien!
A Feast in Lothlórien – the Golden Wood
Travel east over the Misty Mountains and enter the golden woods of Lothlórien for an enchanting elven feast. With hair as golden as the flowers of the Mallorn trees that adorn her realm, Galadriel rules over Lothlórien with her husband Celeborn. Aided by the power of Nenya, one of the three elvish rings of power, the woodland realm is kept beautiful and pure, free from evil and where the trees themselves do not die. Gather beneath the golden boughs of the Mallorn trees for an enchanting feast worthy of the woodland realm of Lothlórien – the heart of elvendom on Earth.
Golden chamomile twist buns
Our feast begins with these delicate golden chamomile twist buns served with a sweet whipped honey butter. Fragrant yellow chamomile blossoms, reminiscent of Galadriel’s beloved Mallorn tree blossoms, infuse these rolls with a delicate floral aroma. A touch of honey adds sweetness while a pinch of saffron adds a delightful golden hue to these soft twist buns. Served with a whipped honey chamomile butter, these elegant twists are the perfect sweet bread to offer the golden Lady of Lórien.
Ingredients for Golden Chamomile Twist Buns
Chamomile: I use dried chamomile flowers for this recipe. For the butter, grind the dried flowers in a mortar and pestle. You can use chamomile tea bags instead; but make sure that they only include dried chamomile.
Saffron: I like to add a pinch of saffron to enhance the golden colour of these twisted buns. However, if you don’t have saffron, you can substitute with a drop or two of yellow food colouring instead. Or, the colour can be left out entirely.
Honey: Honey adds sweetness to both these rolls and the whipped butter.
Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe.
How to Make Golden Chamomile Twist Buns
Steep the milk
Add the milk to a small saucepan and place over medium low heat. Add the dried chamomile flowers and saffron. Bring to a simmer and then remove from the heat. Cover, and let steep for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the milk into a measuring cup, pressing gently to extract as much milk as possible from the chamomile. Add a bit more milk if it has reduced to make 1 cup in total.
Activate the yeast
Heat the water to between 105°F and 115°F. Add the sugar and yeast. Stir briefly and then set aside for the yeast to activate. When the yeast is bubbly and risen, after about 5 minutes, proceed with the recipe.
Make the dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the warm chamomile milk, melted butter, honey, and salt, stirring to dissolve. Stir in the yeast and add the flour.
Mix using the dough hook, until the dough starts to come together. Scrape down the sides occasionally to encourage the dough to come together. If the dough is too sticky and sticks to the side without forming a ball, then add more flour, a tablespoon at a time.
Continue mixing with a dough hook on low speed for about 5 minutes until the dough is soft and stretchy. After mixing, take the dough out and lightly knead a couple of times on the counter to bring it together into a smooth ball.
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Rub a little oil on top of the dough. Cover with cling film or a tea towel and then set in a warm place to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until double in size.
Shape the twist buns
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Punch the dough down to deflate. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and divide into 12 equal pieces.
Roll each piece into a rope. You may find it easier to do this in stages. Begin by rolling each piece into a thick rope then set aside and work on the other pieces. Go back to the first piece and roll it out longer until the rope is about 10 inches long.
To shape each bun, tie a loose knot in each rope keeping a gap in the centre. Take the end that’s on top and tuck it over and under the roll. Pull the other end from the bottom up and over the roll and tuck it into the middle of the knot. Place each twist bun on the prepared baking sheet.
Once all the twists are formed, cover the baking sheet with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
Bake the twisted buns
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare an egg wash by beating together 1 egg and a splash of water. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash over each twist bun. The egg wash will give a shiny, golden crust.
Bake the twist buns for 22 to 25 minutes until golden brown and cooked all the way through. Rotate the pan in the oven after 15 minutes to encourage even browning.
Make the whipped butter
Use a mortar and pestle to grind the dried chamomile flowers into a powder. Sift the ground chamomile through a fine mesh strainer and discard the large pieces.
In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and honey. Whip with a beater for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy in texture. Add the finely ground chamomile and whip until fully combined. Serve immediately. Store the whipped butter in the fridge if you’re making it ahead of time. Allow it to come to room temperature to serve.
Serve the Golden Chamomile Twist Buns
Serve the chamomile twist buns warm, topped with a generous dollop of whipped honey chamomile butter. Enjoy!
