History of the Belgian bun

History of the Belgian bun

We don’t know about you, but we love a Belgian bun here at the bakery and they’re often on our counter.

What is a Belgian bun?

It’s a sweet bread bun containing sultanas and usually topped with fondant icing and a glacé cherry. They are usually round or square-shaped, making it similar in appearance to the Chelsea bun.

Relation to Belgium

Amazingly, and contrary to its names, the Belgian bun cannot be traced back to Belgium.

Although it is believed that it was inspired by the popular finger-shaped Belgian pastry couque Suisse, which doesn’t have as much icing on it.

The perfect swirl

You might be wondering how bakers get that perfect swirl when baking Belgian buns.

When making them, our bakers roll the dough tightly, but not too tightly that it has no room to expand during proving.

The finished result all depends on how the dough rises. We need it to rise outwards and not be forced upwards, which causes the roll to come undone. Our bakers are experts of course!

So, now you know all about the Belgian bun! Next time you pop and see us, make sure you pick up one from our counter!