Whole Wheat St. Lucia Saffron Buns

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together 2 cups white whole wheat flour, potato flour, vital wheat gluten, sugar, ground cardamom, salt and yeast. Set aside.

Mix together the milk, water and saffron threads in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is hot and steamy, but not yet simmering. The mixture should turn quite orange-yellow. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Stir until completely melted. Let cool to between 120-130°F (49-54°C) and then add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients, along with the eggs. Use a silicone spatula to stir until well combined. It may be quite dry and crumbly at the beginning but should eventually become wet and smooth.

Using a silicone spatula, scoop the dough into a lightly oiled mixing bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tea towel.

Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about one hour.

Punch the dough down. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

Prepare 2 baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.

Divide the dough into 24 pieces (40g each) and roll each piece into a 7-inch rope. Form an S-shape and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, leaving about 3 inches between each bun as they spread quite a bit.

Cover the baking sheet with lightly oiled plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for 30 – 45 minutes or until doubled.

Once they’ve almost doubled, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Brush the egg wash over the buns and place one raisin on each end of the buns.

Bake the buns for 8-11 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

Serve immediately, or cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Can be kept at room temperature for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave at 50% power for 10-20 seconds or until soft and warm.