bun
{{short description|Bread-based food}}
{{Other uses}}{{Infobox prepared food
| name = Bun
| image = Sesame seed hamburger buns.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Sesame seed hamburger buns
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| type = Bread
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| main_ingredient = Flour, milk, yeast
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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,{{Oed|term=bun|id=7869951780|access-date=18 March 2025}}{{Cite Cambridge Dictionaries|bun|access-date=18 March 2025}} and either a sweet bread or a savory bread roll in the United States.{{Cite book |last=Mason |first=Laura |title=The Oxford Companion to Food |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2014 |isbn=9780191756276 |editor-last=Davidson |editor-first=Alan |editor-link=Alan Davidson (food writer) |edition=3rd |location=Oxford |chapter=Bun |editor-last2=Jaine |editor-first2=Tom |editor-link2=Tom Jaine}}
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.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}
Composition
{{More citations needed|section|date=March 2022}}
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.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} Many types of bun are brushed with egg yolk to produce a golden appearance.{{cite book |last=Dodge |first=Jim |title=The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets |date= |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2015 |isbn=978-0-19-931339-6 |editor-last=Goldstein |editor-first=Darra |editor-link=Darra Goldstein |location= |page=237 |chapter=Eggs}}
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, steamed buns stuffed with vegetables or the sweet yōkan were eaten by Buddhists.{{cite book |last=Rath |first=Eric C |title=The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets |date= |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2015 |isbn=978-0-19-931339-6 |editor-last=Goldstein |editor-first=Darra |editor-link=Darra Goldstein |location= |pages=371–372 |chapter=Japan}} By the 16th century in Europe, spiced buns, commonly served with sweetened wines or ale were consumed as part of funeral customs.{{cite book |last=Levi |first=Jane |title=The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets |date= |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2015 |isbn=978-0-19-931339-6 |editor-last=Goldstein |editor-first=Darra |editor-link=Darra Goldstein |location= |page=289 |chapter=Funerals}}
See also
{{portal|Food}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
- 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
{{div col end}}
References
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External links
- {{commons category-inline}}
{{Bread}}