Lincolnshire Plum Buns

Lincolnshire Plum Buns are the newest bake, set for mid June from Jane Mason's The Book of Buns, on our facebook page.  I could imagine that this recipe was specially set in the book for me...but I did not know Jane when this book was first published!

The pancheon that sits on my work top was made a very long time ago, and has been handed down the generations.  Since my Grandma and her ancestors came from Lincolnshire, I imagine there were many a Lincolnshire Plum Loaf  mixed in this one.  I can also imagine Grandma making Plum Loaf into buns, as her children and grandchildren, living nearby,  seemed to know when she was baking, and she loved making buns because each person would have their own very own little 'loaf'.  Recently at my Aunty Prue's 'wake', we had sliced Lincolnshire Plum Loaf, and I thought how delicious it was then.

Found on page 95 of The Book of Buns, this recipe asks for 300g of dried fruit....in days of yore, any allusion to plums in cakes referred to 'dried vine fruits', but I wonder if people dried bits of locally grown plums to store during the winter and used that in boiled puddings?

The fruit is soaked overnight in tea, which makes them lovely and plump.  I used organic raisins, and the drained liquid was then put into the batch of wholemeal and rye bread made up the same day.  Waste not want not?

During the morning on Friday, Keith came over for a chat and coffee, and watched me shape the buns...but sadly they were rising rather slowly, and had not been baked as I had expected, before it was time for him to leave.  Must remind Keith to come in the afternoon next time!  He even helped with the washing up before he left.  Do you think I should take him a couple round when I see him for the open gardens this afternoon?  I did take some for Roy when I took round his loaf later in the day.

These buns are really delicious...the next bun to be sliced had so much fruit in, it made this one look like a 'Skinny Lincolnshire Plum Bun'.  Mr S was impressed by the Friday Buns and we were able to sit outside on the patio to enjoy our Friday Meriender when he got home from work.