Make your own dough if you want to choose the flour, filling and size of your currant buns; just bear in mind that you’ll need to knead, prove and bake them. Choose ready-made buns if you want to eat them straight away or freeze them according to the packet instructions. If you’re specifically looking for medium sliced, check the product details to see whether the buns are sliced and what the term means.
If you want to choose the flour, filling and size yourself, making your own dough could be the right choice. Albert Heijn Allerhande’s recipes each make eight buns and involve kneading, proving and baking in the oven.
Ready-made buns are an option if you don’t want to bake. For specific packs, Albert Heijn and PLUS advise freezing them on the day of purchase and using them within one month. Follow the instructions on the packet you buy.
Check the ingredients and allergens for the specific packaged currant buns you choose. If you want to compare two recipes for fibre, Albert Heijn Allerhande lists 4 g of fibre per portion for its wholemeal recipe and 2 g per portion for its classic recipe.
Start by thinking about what you want to do at home: make your own dough, bake with a mix or buy a bun that’s ready to eat.
Choose this if: you want to decide on the flour, filling and portion size yourself.
Bear in mind: Albert Heijn Allerhande’s recipes involve soaking, kneading, two proving stages and baking.
Choose this if: you want to bake with pre-measured ingredients and can find a suitable mix.
Bear in mind: you’ll need extra ingredients and time to prepare it. The In2bake mix described by Jumbo is no longer available online.
Choose this if: you want to eat the buns without making the dough yourself.
Bear in mind: the ingredients and portion size are fixed for the product you choose.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Baking at home | Check the flour, filling, number of portions and proving time required by the recipe. If you’re looking for sliced buns, also check what medium sliced means. | If I bake at home, I want to choose what goes into the dough and how big the buns are. Around 33% of consumers considering currant buns for home put control over the recipe first. |
| Ready to eat | Check whether you’re buying ready-to-eat buns or a mix that still needs extra ingredients and baking. | When I’m short on time, I want to be able to grab a bun without making dough first. Convenience is the top priority for around 27% of these consumers. |
| Ingredients and nutritional information | Read the allergen information on the current packet. Only compare fibre per 100 g or per portion when the figures use the same basis. | I want to know which ingredients and nutritional values apply to the product or recipe before making a choice. This matters most to around 20% of consumers. |
| Stock and portions | Compare the number of buns in each pack and follow the storage instructions for that specific product. | If I’m not going to use all the buns straight away, I want to know whether the pack size suits me and what the freezing instructions are. Around 20% of consumers put this first. |
The currant buns in the Jumbo, ALDI and Lidl packs described here are ready-made. By contrast, the In2bake mix described by Jumbo still requires water, filling and preparation.
Before buying, decide whether you want to bake or eat the buns straight away. If you’re buying a mix, check which ingredients you’ll need to add yourself.
The Jumbo and PLUS packaged varieties described here list wheat and milk; information about possible traces varies by product.
Check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging before choosing. Even with a wholemeal variety, don’t assume it’s suitable without checking.
The packs described here contain different numbers of buns. Freezing instructions for an AH or PLUS product don’t automatically apply to another pack.
Choose a quantity that suits how you’ll use them and check the packet instructions before freezing.
Jumbo describes a pack of six own-brand white wheat, raisin and currant buns, as well as an In2bake mix for those who want to bake their own.
Albert Heijn Allerhande has recipes for classic and wholemeal currant buns to bake at home.
PLUS describes packaged currant buns in packs of six and eight.
ALDI describes a shop-bought pack of six soft raisin and currant buns.
Lidl describes a shop-bought pack of six currant buns.
Don’t assume they are: the Jumbo and PLUS products described here list wheat and milk. Check the current ingredients and allergen information for the specific product, including any warnings about possible traces.
The Albert Heijn and PLUS packs described here say that you can freeze the buns at home on the day of purchase and should use them within one month. For other packs or homemade buns, follow the relevant storage instructions.
