So what are Scandibunz?
Trying to introduce a new type of baked goods to the New Zealand market, we understandably get a lot of questions about what it actually is that we are selling.
Scandibunz are based on the Nordic style cinnamon buns (Sweden, Norway and Finland -Danish buns use a different dough). Our particular recipe is an amalgamation of Susanne’s mother’s and grandmothers’ sweet wheat bread recipes as well as skills we’ve picked up along the way.
For more information about the wheat bread tradition in Scandinavia, please see our page about Heritage.
Since the currently bustling New Zealand food scene has only been going since approximately the early 2000’s, most people try to make sense of new products by comparing them to what they already know. We are constantly asked if what we make is a brioche, since Kiwis tend to be used to the brioche-style scrolls they find in most cafés, but we have heard quite a few other comparisons as well, so scroll down for a (hopefully) helpful list of what Scandibunz are not.
Is it a brioche?
No. Not a brioche.
A brioche is a cold risen yeast-leavened dough which has eggs and softened butter worked into it. This produces a bread that is rich but light, slightly puffy and with a dark, flakey crust. A brioche is often baked in a brioche tin with a ball of dough on top producing a small bread with a mushroom like shape. This is usually referred to as a brioche a tête, or brioche Parisienne.
When working eggs and butter into the dough as with a brioche it’s called enriching the dough. Scandibunz are not made with an enriched dough.
Is it a muffin?
No. Not a muffin.
A muffin (or cupcake) is a small sponge cake. Sponge cakes are made with a batter rather than a dough and traditionally uses eggs and sometimes baking powder/soda as a rising agent. A muffin or sponge cake has a crumbly texture and tends to be quite delicate.
While we cook our buns in texas muffin tins to achieve the height Kiwis like in baked goods, that is also the only thing they have in common with these type of cakes.
Is it a donut?
No. Not a donut.
Donuts tend to come in two main versions; yeast dough donuts and cake donuts. Traditionally donuts are deep fried, as it is a treat that predates the oven, but you also find baked versions. Cake donuts are made with a thick sponge cake batter and regular yeast donuts are made with what can be describes as a sweet bread dough.
Donuts are immensely popular around the globe and most cultures have their own version including munkar/munkki (Sweden, Finland), klenäter/kleinuhringir (Sweden, Iceland), berliner (Germany, Austria, Chile), vadai (India), kkwabaegi (Korea), bomboloni (Italy), and malasadas (Hawaii, Portugal).
Scandibunz are baked, not deep fried and therefore not donuts.
Is it a croissant?
No. Not a croissant.
A croissant is an Austrian pastry, albeit often associated with France. It is produced by laminating a yeast dough. This means that cold butter is folded into the dough, finally producing a buttery layered vienoisserie pastry with 27 paper-thin layers. The finished product constitutes of between 45-55% butter in weight. Croissant means crescent and the shape has given the pastry its name.
Danish pastries are also made using a laminated dough, and are usually called spandauer in Denmark, in Sweden they are called wienerbröd (Vienna-bread) which heralds their Austrian origins.
Scandibunz are not made using a laminated dough.
Is it a cronut?
No. Not a cronut.
A cronut is a deep fried laminated dough.
Is it a scone?
No. Not a scone.
A scone is a baked good comprising of fat, flour, salt and baking powder/soda (with sugar and other additions common). In its base form it is very similar to a soda bread. Traditionally scones are cut/formed into shapes and baked on an open baking tray.
Scandibunz, using a yeast-leavened dough, are not scones.
Is it a friand?
No. Not a friand.
A friand is the Antipodean version of the French financier. This sweet treat is made with ground almonds in lieu of wheat flour and uses egg whites as a leavening agent. They are baked as small individual cakes in special tins.
Is it a choux pastry?
No. Not a choux pastry.
A choux pastry is made by adding flour and eggs to butter and water which have been boiled together. After baking it produces a very light pastry with a hollow interior.
Is it a Chelsea bun?
No, Not a Chelsea bun, but you’re getting close.
The process of making a Chelsea bun is very similar to that of making a cinnamon bun, the use of spices and citrus in the dough sets it apart from the Scandinavian style wheat breads though, and it is usually topped with icing, much like American style cinnamon buns, which you’d be hard finding on Scandinavian rolled buns.