Brun pav
Hard-crusted bakery bun
Mumbai's hard-crusted Irani café bun for brun maska
Order brun maska at one of Mumbai's old Irani cafés, under the bentwood chairs and slow ceiling fans, and a waiter brings a hard, round bun split and spread thickly with butter, next to a cup of sweet Irani chai. Brun is the opposite of soft ladi pav: its floury top crackles, the crust is thick enough to knock on, and the inside is dense and chewy, made to be dunked until it softens. The bread itself is just flour, water, yeast and salt, so it is vegan; add the butter (or a vegan spread) only when serving. A long, fairly slow bake gives the crust; pulling it out when it is merely golden is the mistake that leaves you with an ordinary roll. Chef's tip: a day-old brun is even better for dunking, so bake a batch ahead and split and toast them lightly before buttering.
- Total time
- 225 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the dough
- 14 oz strong white bread flour
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ oz salt
- 1 cup lukewarm water
To finish
- 3 tbsp plain flourfor the floury top
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Mix 14 oz strong white bread flour, ⅛ oz fast-action dried yeast, 1 tsp sugar and ¼ oz salt, add 1 cup lukewarm water and knead for 10 minutes into a firm, smooth dough.
10 minStep 2: Cover and leave to rise for 1½–2 hours, until doubled. A slow rise gives the chewy, slightly tangy crumb.
105 minStep 3: Divide into 8 pieces and shape each into a very tight ball, pulling the surface taut. Rest for 10 minutes and tighten again.
10 minStep 4: Roll each ball in 3 tbsp plain flour so it is thickly coated, and set on a lined tray well apart. Prove uncovered for 45 minutes; the floury skin dries and later cracks into the classic pattern.
45 minStep 5: Heat the oven to 425°F (400°F fan) with a roasting tin on the bottom shelf.
15 minStep 6: Splash a little water into the hot tin, put the buns in and bake for 15 minutes. Lower to 375°F (350°F fan) and bake for 12–15 minutes more, until dark golden under the flour and the crust is hard when knocked.
30 minStep 7: Check the base sounds hollow and the centre reads about 205°F. Switch off the oven and leave the buns inside with the door ajar for 5 minutes to harden the crust further.
5 minStep 8: Cool completely on a rack. Split and butter to serve with chai.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 39 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does brun pav take?
- About 225 minutes in total: 195 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
- What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
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