Strawberry and rhubarb buns – a short story of the mighty strawberry
Small, red, and irresistible
June is that moment in the year when the world smells like strawberries. And we mean literally — all it takes is a stroll through your local market. But before these red beauties made their way onto our plates and into our desserts, they had quite the journey. From the wild to the garden, from the Americas to Europe, and — as it often goes — it all started with a happy accident.
From two continents into one basket: the birth of a garden queen
Our modern garden strawberry, Fragaria × ananassa, isn’t some ancient heirloom passed down from Roman farmers. Nope — it’s a relatively young botanical creation, born in the 18th century.
It’s the love child of two wild species: the small and fragrant Fragaria virginiana from North America, and the juicy, sun-kissed Fragaria chiloensis from South America. The latter made its way to Europe thanks to a French gardener who was part botanist, part spy, and (clearly) part romantic.
They met in France, joined forces, and boom — the strawberry as we know it was born. Sweet, red, juicy… honestly, how could anyone resist?
So… why straw-berry? A name with a twist
Ever wondered where the name strawberry actually comes from? No, it’s not because the berries grow on straw (though mulching with straw was a thing).
One theory is that it comes from the Old English word “streawberige,” where streaw means straw and berige means berry. Others believe it’s related to the way wild strawberries used to stray or strewn across the ground with their long runners. Some even suggest that kids used to thread them on straw pieces and sell them — strawberry necklaces, if you will.
Whatever the true root, one thing is clear: the name stuck, and the berry spread — fast. Now when we say “strawberry,” there’s no mistaking what we mean. Red, sweet, summery joy.
Recipe time: strawberry-rhubarb buns with crumble on top
Today, we’re not crossbreeding plants — we’re blending flavors. Because strawberries? They love good company — especially the kind that’s creamy, tart, and a little bit crunchy.
So today we’re making:
Soft, buttery strawberry-rhubarb buns with a creamy cheese center and golden crumble topping.
The kind that smells like sunshine and disappears while still warm
Strawberry and Rhubarb sweet bun
Ingredients
Method
- In a bowl, crumble the fresh yeast and mix it with 1 teaspoon of sugar until it dissolves. Add 1 teaspoon of flour and the lukewarm milk. Stir well and leave in a warm place for about 20 minutes, until the mixture becomes bubbly and doubles or triples in size. (You can skip this step if you are using instant dry yeast)
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, and salt. Add the risen yeast starter (or instant dry yeast) and the egg.
- Mix until the ingredients come together, then knead for 10–15 minutes by hand or using a stand mixer with a dough hook. Gradually add the melted butter and continue kneading for another 5–10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic foil and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
- Wash and dry the strawberries. Hull them and cut larger berries into halves or quarters.
- Wash the rhubarb, trim both ends, and slice it into pieces about 1–2 cm thick. There is no need to peel young rhubarb.
- Whisk together the smooth cream cheese, icing sugar, and egg until smooth.
- Combine the flour, sugar, and cold butter. Rub everything together with your fingertips until coarse crumbs form.
- Transfer the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly.
- Divide it into 8–10 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, then flatten into a disc about 7 cm wide and 1 cm thick.
- Arrange them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving space between each bun. Cover and let rise for another 25 minutes.
- Using the bottom of a small glass, gently press a deep indentation into the center of each bun.
- Fill each with about 2 teaspoons of the cheese mixture. Top with strawberries and rhubarb.
- Brush the edges with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with the crumble topping.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) using conventional top and bottom heat for 15–18 minutes, until beautifully golden.
- Allow the buns to cool slightly before serving. They taste wonderful while still slightly warm.
