A bun is a type of bread that is round and small enough that it can generally be eaten hand-held. Whether a bun is considered sweetened or unsweetened differs between countries: it is considered sweetened in the United Kingdom, a savory bread in Northern Ireland,
Terminology
In England and Scotland, a bun is considered a type of sweet cake, understood as very rich, spiced and studded with fruit in Scotland, seen in the example of the
currant bun.
In the US, a roll is understood as a bread roll, particularly one that holds a burger, and is cut horizontally.
Chinese
baozi, with savory or sweet fillings, are often referred to as "buns" in English.
Composition
Buns are usually made from a
dough of flour, milk, yeast and small amounts of sugar and/or butter. Sweet bun dough is distinguished from bread dough by the addition of sugar, butter and sometimes egg. Common sweet varieties contain small fruit or nuts, topped with icing or
caramel, and filled with
jam or
cream. Many types of bun are brushed with egg yolk to produce a golden appearance.
History
The etymology of the word
bun is unclear. The
Oxford English Dictionary pins the earliest known use to 1371 in the
Assize of Bread and Ale, a law of Medieval Europe in the form "bunne" where they identify the meaning as "doubtful", understood from the context simply to refer to a type of "loaf or cake".
As of the 14th century in Japan,
Baozi stuffed with vegetables or the sweet
yōkan were eaten by Buddhists.
By the 16th century in Europe,
, commonly served with sweetened wines or ale were consumed as part of funeral customs.
See also
-
List of buns
-
List of breads
-
List of bread dishes
-
List of cakes
-
List of pastries
-
List of sweet breads
-
Cheung Chau Bun Festival
-
Chinese bakery products
External links
