Streuseltaler (individual streusel buns)

Method

1. Whisk the flour, sugar, salt and yeast together, then add the lukewarm milk, melted butter and egg. Knead by hand or with a dough hook for 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
2. Cover and prove in a warm spot for 45 minutes, until roughly doubled.
3. Make the streusel: rub the cold butter into the flour, sugar and vanilla sugar with your fingertips until it forms coarse, pea-sized crumbs. Chill until needed.
4. Divide the risen dough into 12 equal pieces and shape each into a flat round, about 8 cm across, on a lined baking sheet, spaced well apart.
5. Let rest, covered, for 15 minutes. Press a shallow dimple into the centre of each round with your fingertips, then scatter the streusel generously over each one.
6. Bake at 190°C for 18 to 20 minutes, until the streusel is solidly golden and the buns sound hollow when tapped on the base.

Notes

• Dimpling the centre before the streusel goes on keeps it from all sliding to the edges as the dough rises further in the oven.
• A soft, slightly sticky dough is correct here. Adding extra flour to make it easier to handle gives a denser bun than the tradition calls for.
• Keep the streusel cold until it goes on, for the same reason as any other streusel bake.
• They keep for 2 days at room temperature, covered, and freeze well; refresh a thawed one with a couple of minutes in a warm oven.

Ingredient substitutions

• Instant yeast can be swapped for fresh yeast at roughly three times the weight, crumbled into the lukewarm milk with a pinch of the sugar and left for 10 minutes until foamy before mixing in.
• A spoonful of jam pressed into the dimple before the streusel goes on turns these into a filled version, closer to a Danish.
• Vanilla sugar is a small, traditional touch; plain sugar works identically if it is not to hand.
• For a nuttier streusel, replace 40 g of the flour with 40 g of finely chopped almonds or hazelnuts.