Sweet Turtle Buns Recipe sweet and funny brioche turtles

Sweet Turtle Buns

For several days I’ve been thinking about how to prepare these beauties. They can be sweet or savory; simple or with some chocolate or fruit filling. For this time I decided to make some sweet, simple buns inspired by the delicious French Brioche. These buns are great for breakfast, served along with milk, tea or coffee. And I thought to give them the shape of turtles – because I love turtles ❤❤ For the green crust (which is not required to be green, it can be left as it is or can be colored with some cocoa powder), I used the recipe from Conchas (Mexican pan dulce).

Ingredients Sweet Turtle Buns

(for 10 turtle buns of 70 g weight each)

►For the dough

• 100 ml warm milk
• 7 g dry yeast
• 2 medium sized eggs
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
• 70 g butter at room temperature
• a pinch of salt
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 350 g sifted flour

►For the crust

• 80 g powdered sugar
• 80 g all purpose flour
• 80 g butter at room temperature
• 1-2 drops of green gel food coloring

Directions Sweet Turtle Buns

Dissolve 1 tablespoon sugar into the milk, then add dried yeast, mix and leave to rest in a warm place for 10-15 minutes. Put flour, salt and remaining sugar into a bowl. Add butter, vanilla, lemon zest, eggs, then the leavened yeast.

Mix and knead it until you get an elastic and homogeneous dough, which doesn’t stick to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise, in a warm place, until it doubles in volume.

Meanwhile, prepare the crust. Sift the flour with sugar (and cocoa, if used). Add the butter and homogenize. When using food coloring gel or liquid, some extra flour is needed (until the mixture acquires a dough like consistency). Wrap the dough in a cling film and place it into the refrigerator.

Heat the oven to 175 degrees. Prepare a baking tray (I needed two trays) and line it with baking paper.

When the buns dough is doubled in size, put it onto the table and knead it again for a few times. Take ten pieces of 50 g each and form balls (these will be the turtles’ bodies). Then shape the heads, the legs and the tails for each turtle and attach them. Gently press the body, to stick to the added pieces.

Take the crust dough from refrigerator. Roll it between two sheets of cling film (because it’s fragile). Cut discs from the dough sheet and cover the turtles backs. Scratch the crust using a cutter or a very sharp knife. Introduce the tray into the oven for 20-30 minutes (or until the buns are golden brown). Once removed from the oven, form the eyes using mini chocolate candies that easily stick into the dough.