Say hello to the Strange Bun, my latest recipe from the game STARDEW VALLEY! In the game, this recipe is made from void mayonnaise and periwinkle, an appropriately strange combo to be sure. Literally everyone in the game hates them (even the villager who gives you the recipe). I was intrigued by this dish, so I decided to try my hand at making a delicious (but still weird) version.
The in-game recipe thumbnail shows a yellow spiral bun that rises in the center and has red filling, so I knew what my final bun needed to look like. I started with my go-to enriched dough recipe, but I swapped out the egg for mayonnaise. It may sound wild, but mayo has long been known to add fat and complexity to baked goods. In fact, you may have even come across cake recipes that call for mayo.
But what to do about the filling? I loved the idea of adding to the strangeness by making my buns spicy. I decided to make red pepper jam, and since this was my first time making it, I used a recipe by Inquiring Chef and tweaked it to suit my taste. To make the bun higher in the center, I cut the rolled dough into triangles and rolled them from the wide end, baking them in muffin tins to help them keep their shape.
The final product was savory and sweet with a touch of spice. A bit confusing to be sure, but delightfully so. I think if the villagers in STARDEW VALLEY got a chance to try this version, they might change their minds about Strange Buns!
A
Strange Bun
“What’s inside?”
— Stardew Valley
INGREDIENTS:
- For the Red Pepper Jam
- 1/2 lb coarsely chopped red bell peppers, de-stemmed and de-seeded
- scant 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3/8 tsp salt
- For the Dough
- 1/4 cup very warm water
- 1/2 cup room temp milk
- 1 packet (7 grams) active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup mayo
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2¾ cups flour
Makes 7 strange buns
INSTRUCTIONS:
- FOR THE JAM. Blend the bell peppers and red pepper flakes together in food processor until very finely chopped. Transfer to a 3 quart saucepan with the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine. Place over high heat and bring to rolling boil. Watch the pot, as it can bubble up really high. Reduce heat to medium and continue to boil for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Continue to keep an eye on the pot to make sure it doesn’t bubble up too high (you can turner the burner down a bit if needed). Transfer to a sealable container (such as a large mason jar) and allow to sit open on the counter until it reaches room temp. Seal and refrigerate until ready to use.
- FOR THE DOUGH. To make the buns, first stir together the water and milk in the bowl of a standing mixer. Sprinkle the yeast on top and stir very gently for a few seconds. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- Add the mayo, salt, and sugar to the bowl. Beat on medium-low speed with a paddle attachment for 15 seconds or until combined. Gradually beat in the flour until just combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until soft, mostly smooth, and only slightly sticky (approximately 5-8 minutes).
- Coat a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough inside, turning once to coat. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen cloth and allow to rise for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Thoroughly coat a muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
- Punch down the dough. Reflour your surface and roll out the dough into a 15×10-inch oval. Cut into a 9×14-inch rectangle. Coat the dough in an even layer of pepper jam (you won’t use it all).
- Cut dough into 7 right triangles. To do this, start 2 inches down from the top of the long side of the rectangle and cut at an angle to the top of the other side. Starting 2 inches down from the other side, cut a straight line across to the bottom of the first triangle. Repeat until you have 7 triangles. NOTE: I found a pizza cutter to be easier than a regular knife for this.
- Roll each triangle into a bun by starting at the 2-inch side and rolling towards the narrow end. Place the buns into the muffin tin.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until risen and golden brown along the edges. Add 1 tsp jam on top in the last 5 minutes of baking. Allow to rest for 5 minutes in the pan. Ease hem out with a butter knife and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy a Strange Bun while playing STARDEW VALLEY!
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