Peeta's Cheesy Buns

From The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins 

Image Submitted by Isobel

Here it is folks! Peeta Mallark's famous cheesey buns! Suzanne Collin's young adult trilogy has gained a lot of popularity lately after the release of the film version. It has been praised for its emotionally compelling storyline, character development and strong female protagonist. Due to it's themes of starvation and deprivation, Hunger Games often has extremely detailed and loving descriptions of food, making it one of Geeky Chef's favorite YA novels. There are so many dishes in Hunger Games that make your mouth water just reading about them that I wasn't sure where to start, so I called a vote. I was not surprised that Cheesey Buns won out. Not only are they delicious cheesey carbs (which, let's face it, everyone loves) they are also a favorite of Katniss and are baked for her by her love interest, Peeta. In comparison with the quality of food most people in District 12 are used to, these buns are certainly decadent and rich. In the book Catching Fire, Katniss describes these buns as soft bread with cheese baked on top, a bit greasy and messy to eat. I made a fluffy pull-apart bun, with a mixture of sharp cheddar and gruyere both inside the bun and on top as described in the book.  Working with dough and is not an easy thing to do, so be careful to make sure your dough is a good consistency... And may the odds be ever in your favor!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour, divided
• 1 packet instant yeast
• 1 tbs sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 3/4 cup shredded gruyere cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tbs cup butter, melted (plus more for greasing)

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan with butter.  
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine half of the flour (1 1/2 cups), sugar, salt, and yeast. Mix well.  Add 1/2 a cup of each cheese and toss to distribute evenly.  
3. Pour in the warm milk, warm water, and olive oil. Beat the mixture for 3 to 5 minutes.  Gradually stir in the remaining flour until a soft dough forms.  
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 7 minutes, or until elastic and no longer sticky, adding more flour as needed.  Place the dough in a large mixing bowl greased with butter, flipping it to coat both sides in the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for at least 30 minutes or until doubled in size.  
5. Punch down the dough, cover again, and let it rest for another 10 minutes.  
6. Divide the dough into 20 equal pieces and roll each into a ball.  Dip each ball in melted butter and arrange them in a single snug layer in the greased pan.  Cover with a towel and let the rolls rise in a warm place for another 1 hour, until nearly reaching the top of the pan.  
7. Sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the rolls.  Bake on the lower rack of the oven at 375°F (190°C) for 30–35 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

 

Yield: 20 cheesy buns